Details
Creator Summers, William delineator.
Contributor Hunt, Charles engraver.
Hunt, Charles, engraver.
Tregear, G.S., publisher.
Title Tregears black jokes. The Lady Patroness of Alblacks. [graphic] / W. Summers, del.; Hunt, scul.
Publisher London: Published by G. Tregear, Cheapside
Publisher ENG. London. 1834
Date [ca. 1834]
Physical Description 1 print: hand-colored aquatint; sheet 38 x 27 cm (14.75 x 10.5 in.)
Description Racist caricature depicting a middle-class African American woman looking at herself in a full-length mirror in her well- decorated bedroom. Shows the woman, attired in a white, low décolleté underdress with puffed, cap sleeves, slightly lifting up the skirt of her dress in her left hand and her raised right hand holding a comb near her hair that is styled in a top knot. She looks at her reflection. She is portrayed with a wrinkled brow and bags under her eyes. Her reflection does not have these features. In the right, a bed with a canopy on which a wide-brimmed hat rests on a post; a table on which a pin pad, hair comb, pearl necklace, and earrings rest; and a black cat with its back raised are visible. In the left, on either side of the mirror, a pink dress rests on a clothing rack and white ankle-lace shoes lie on the carpeted floor. Scene also includes three framed picture on the wall in the background. Two are partially visible and the one fully visible shows a genre scene outside of a stone dwelling where an African American man is on his knee and holding the hand of an African American woman who stands in front of him. Figure is portrayed with oversized and exaggerated features and her skin tone is depicted in black hand coloring.
Is referenced by Originally appeared in Tregear's Black Jokes: being a series of laughable caricatures on the march of manners of blacks (London: G.S. Tregear, 1834). (LCP *Is Treg, 13258.Q).
Notes Title from item.
Date inferred from content and name of publisher.
Inscribed: No. 2.
This caricature is similar in content to the prints from the series, "Life in Philadelphia" (London Set), and has been catalogued as a part of the series.
Charles Hunt was a respected 19th century London engraver and etcher known mostly for his prints of sporting subjects.
RVCDC
Description revised 2022.
Access points revised 2022.
Subject African Americans -- Caricatures and cartoons -- Pennsylvania -- Philadelphia.
African American women -- Caricatures and cartoons -- Pennsylvania -- Philadelphia.
African Americans -- Clothing & dress -- Pennsylvania -- Philadelphia.
African American women -- Clothing & dress -- Pennsylvania -- Philadelphia.
Bedrooms -- Pennsylvania -- Philadelphia.
Cats -- Pennsylvania -- Philadelphia.
Middle class -- Clothing & dress -- Pennsylvania -- Philadelphia.
Mirrors.
Racism in popular culture.
Reflections.
Genre Caricatures -- 1830-1840.
Aquatints -- Hand-colored -- 1830-1840.
Illustrator Hunt, Charles, engraver.
Printer Tregear, G.S., publisher.
Location Library Company of Philadelphia PRINT| Print Department | Life in Philadelphia (London Set) [P.9719]
Accession number P.9719