Title from item.
One of a set of twelve groups of skeletons reproducing those drawn on a wall between Turnham Green and Brentford, engaged in various activities including singing, dancing, playing in a band, playing billiards, cards, dice and games, at a hustings and in a portrait and a sculpture studio; a cop the first design of the series in the collection of the British Museum is titled in pencil: "Sketches of celebrated skeletons originally designed on the Long Wall between Turnham Green & Brentford, by F C Liardet". Cf. British Museum online catalog, Museum numbers 1878,0713.4674-4685.
The Lewis Walpole Library has in its collection a sheet numbered "No. 1 Gaming" with six of the 12 designs on a single sheet, the designs individually captioned and the sheet titled with imprint: Sketches of the celebrated skeletons, Originally designed on the long wall between Turnham Green and Brentford. Drawn by W.F.E. Liardet, designer of the skeletons on the wall. Printed & published at J. Netherclift's Lithographic Establishment, 8 Newman St.
"A note made by Thomas Hardy seems likely to relate to these images: "Wonderful sketches on a wall, when the people get up one morning at Turnham Green. (skeletons &c it seems...); done by a young man out of employ, at a very early hour, to divert his mind for dwelling on his wretched situation [& to prevent suicide]" (reproduced in 'Thomas Hardy's 'facts' notebook : a critical edition', edited by William Greenslade, Ashgate 2004, p.84)"--Curator's comments, British Museum online catalog.
A satire on elections and campaign oratory; four skeletons standing at a hustings address a crowd of skeletons waving campaign signs.