NON-SENSE AND SENSIBILITY
(British Drawings and Prints of Two Centuries – Plus a Few Precursors)
(British Drawings and Prints of Two Centuries – Plus a Few Precursors)
- Laroon, The Quarrel
- Hollar, Glastoniensis
- Hollar, Landscape with Herdsmen
- Smith, Mr. Will: Richards
- Hogarth, Southwark Fair
- Smith, The Virgin Mary
- Hogarth, Midnight Modern
- Robinson, Banquet Piece
- att. to Vanderbank, Senesino
- Beauclerk, Street Musicians
- Haward, Mrs. Siddons
- Gillray, Comfort to the Corns
- Cheesman, The Seamstress
- Anonymous, Diamond
- Rowlandson, Gaffers
- Bartolozzi, Miss Farren
- Anonymous, Beatrice Fishing
- Say, Miss Mellon
- Rowlandson, The Poacher
- Smith, Narcissa
- Cruikshank, The Cholic
- Vendramini, Strawberrys, Scarlet
- Cruikshank, A Catalanian PicNic
- Morland, Peasants Resting
- Cruikshank, Sales by Auction!
- Daniell, Joseph Haydn
- Williams, Leap Year
- Finch, In the Park
- Cruikshank, A Consultation
- Anonymous, Duck Shooting
- Heath, A Pleasant Draught
- O’Neill, The Mill
- Cruikshank, Hint to the Blind
- Craig, Trees
- Heath, Blessing of Cheap Cider
- Calvert, The Brook
- Calvert, Cottage and Trees
- Lisle, I’d be a butterfly
- Palmer, Early Plowman
- Leitch, Shepherd
- Whistler, La Vieille aux Loques
- Haden, A Water Meadow
- Whistler, The Brothers
- Cameron, The Palace
- Strang, The Cause of the Poor
- Detmold, Long-Eared Bat
- Detmold, Phoenix
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15. Thomas Rowlandson (1757-1827) Gaffers at a Country Fair |
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(click on image to print)
Gaffers at a Country Fair
Etching with hand coloring, 1805, 218 x 305 mm., British Museum N.D., Walpole Library 805.0.29. Fine impression on laid paper watermarked C. Ansill 1810, trimmed outside the borderline at the sides, just within at the top and with the full text below; a short edge tear repaired and a pinhole. The coloring here is unexpectedly subtle, being confined to shades of grey, brown and pink, but is effective in its own way. A “gaffer,” though the word has several specialized meanings, is here just British colloquial for an old man, as “gammer” is for an old woman and, despite suggestions of a German etymology, is most likely merely a countrified shortening of “grandfather” (as the female form is of “grandmother”). Precisely what they are doing at this country fair is hard to figure out but they do seem to be enjoying it. Stuff and nonsense?
