| Creator |
Clay, Edward Williams, 1799-1857, etcher. |
| Contributor |
Simpson, William, publisher. |
| Title |
Life in Philadelphia. "Shall I hab de honour to dance de next quadrille...?" [graphic] / [Clay], fec. |
| Publisher |
Philadelphia: Published by W. Simpson, No. 66 Chestnut St |
| Publisher |
PA. Philadelphia. 1828 |
| Date |
1828 |
| Physical Description |
1 print: hand-colored etching; 21 x 17 cm (8 x 6.75 in.) |
| Description |
Racist caricature ridiculing the etiquette of attendees of an African American dance ball. Depicts, in the right and in profile,
"Mr. Cato," an African American man dressed in a blue coat with tails and a black collar, white pantaloons and stockings,
ruffled white shirt, yellow gloves, a gold neck fob, and black slipper shoes bowing with his hat in his hand to invite "Miss
Minta" to dance. In the left, "Miss Minta," a curvaceous African American woman, forward facing, her head turned to the right,
and dressed in a pink, cap-sleeved gown with an apron detail, a large pink headpiece, white opera gloves, and several pieces
of jewelry, including a neck fob, bracelets, armlets, and earrings, declines his invitation because she is already "engaged
for de nine next set." She also slightly holds up the lower right corner of her apron with her right hand. The figures are
portrayed with oversized and exaggerated features. Their skin tone is depicted with brown hand coloring. Scene also includes
background imagery depicting other African American men and women ball attendees.
|
| Notes |
Title from item. |
|
Date printed on item. |
|
Inscribed: Plate 5. |
|
The symbol of a key is used in place of the name Clay. |
|
Contains four lines of dialogue in the vernacular and dialect below the image: “Shall I hab de honour to dance de next quadrille
wid you, Miss Minta?” “Tank you Mr. Cato, _ wid much pleasure, _ only I am engaged for de nine next set!_”
|
|
William Simpson was a Philadelphia "fancy store" proprietor who published the first 11 prints of the "Life in Philadelphia"
series. He also marketed the series as part of his "Artists' Repository."
|
|
Shane White and Graham White's Stylin': African American Expressive Culture (Ithaca: Cornell University Press, 1998), p. 98.
(LCP Ii 4, A2880.O).
|
|
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. |
|
Balls (Parties) -- Pennsylvania -- Philadelphia. |
|
Conversation. |
|
Middle-class -- Clothing & dress -- Pennsylvania -- Philadelphia. |
|
Racism in popular culture. |
| Genre |
Caricatures -- 1820-1830. |
|
Etchings -- Hand-colored -- 1820-1830. |
| Printer |
Simpson, William, publisher. |
| Location |
Library Company of Philadelphia| Print Department| Life in Philadelphia (Philadelphia Set) [P.8471.1] |
| Accession number |
P.8471.1 |
