Details
Creator Clay, Edward Williams, 1799-1857, etcher.
Contributor Hart, Sarah, publisher.
Title Life in Philadelphia. "How you find yourself dis hot weader Miss Chloe?" [graphic] / Clay, fecit.
Publisher Philadelphia: Published by S. Hart, So. 3d. St
Publisher PA. Philadelphia. 1830
Date [1830]
Physical Description 1 print : hand-colored etching ; 20 x 19 cm (7.75 x 7.25 in.)
Description Racist caricature mocking the ambitions of free Blacks depicting, "Mr. Cesar," an African American dandy asking an African American belle how she finds herself in "dis hot weader?" "Miss Chloe," responds that she is doing well, but "aspires too much!" In the left, the man stands and faces the woman, in the right, and whose back is to the viewer. The man is attired in a blue waistcoat with a yellow collar, a white vest, red cravat, red pants, gloves, and black slipper shoes. He holds a walking stick perpendicular to the ground in his right hand and a hat in his left hand. The woman is attired in a yellow, puff-sleeved, ankle-length dress, wide-brimmed green hat with a long veil and adorned with several yellow flowers and red ribbon, gloves, and red slipper shoes. She also wears a hair adornment, earrings, and necklace. She holds a purse and fan in her left hand and a parasol in her right hand. The man and woman stand on a grassy knoll. Clouds are visible in the background. The figures are portrayed with oversized and exaggerated features. Their skin tone is depicted with black hand coloring.
Notes Title from item.
Date inferred from name of publisher.
Inscribed: Plate 4.
Contains three lines of dialogue in the vernacular and dialect below the image: “How you find yourself dis hot weader Miss Chloe?” “Pretty well I tank you Mr. Cesar only I aspire too much!”
Sarah Hart was a Jewish Philadelphia stationer who with her son, future eminent Philadelphia publisher, Abraham Hart assumed publication of the "Life in Philadelphia" series in 1829. She, alone, reprinted the entire series of 14 prints in 1830.
RVCDC
Description revised 2021.
Access points revised 2021.
Subject African Americans -- Caricatures and cartoons -- Pennsylvania -- Philadelphia.
African American women -- Caricatures and cartoons -- Pennsylvania -- Philadelphia.
African American men -- Caricatures and cartoons -- Pennsylvania -- Philadelphia.
African American women -- Pennsylvania -- Philadelphia.
African Americans -- Clothing & dress -- Pennsylvania -- Philadelphia.
Conversation.
Middle-class -- Clothing & dress -- Pennsylvania -- Philadelphia.
Racism in popular culture.
Genre Caricatures -- 1820-1830.
Etchings -- Hand-colored -- 1820-1830.
Printer Hart, Sarah, publisher.
Location Library Company of Philadelphia| Print Department| Life in Philadelphia (Philadelphia Set) [P.9698]
Accession number P.9698