Details
Creator Clay, Edward Williams, 1799-1857, etcher.
Contributor Hart, Sarah, publisher.
Title Life in Philadelphia. "Shall I hab de honour to dance de next quadrille...?" [graphic] / [Clay], fec.
Publisher Philadelphia: Published by S. Hart, 65 So. 3d. St
Publisher PA. Philadelphia. 1830
Date [1830]
Physical Description 1 print: hand-colored etching; 21 x 19 cm.(8 x 7.25 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, white pantaloons and stockings, ruffled white shirt, white gloves, a 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 red, cap-sleeved gown with an apron detail, a large white 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 black hand coloring. Scene also includes background imagery hand-colored yellow and depicting other African American men and women ball attendees.
Notes Title from item.
Date inferred from content and name of publisher.
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!_”
Inscribed: Plate 5.
The symbol of a key is used in place of the name Clay.
Sarah Hart was a Jewish Philadelphia stationer who with her son, Abraham Hart, a future eminent Philadelphia publisher, assumed publishing of the "Life in Philadelphia" series in 1829. She reprinted the entire series of 14 prints in 1830.
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 Hart, Sarah, publisher.
Location Library Company of Philadelphia| Print Department| Life in Philadelphia (Philadelphia Set) [P.9699]
Accession number P.9699