Details
Creator Summers, William, artist.
Contributor Hunt, Charles, engraver.
Tregear, G.S., publisher.
Title Life in Philadelphia. Dark conversation. [graphic] / Designd & drawn by W. Summers; Hunt sculpt.
Publisher London: Published by G.S. Tregear, Cheapside
Publisher ENG. London. 1833
Date [ca. 1833]
Physical Description 1 print: hand-colored aquatint; sheet 25 x 33 cm (10 x 12.75 in.)
Inscribed: No. 1.
Description Circa 1833 racist caricature about the "disagreeableness" of the growing community of middle-class African Americans in Philadelphia. Depicts an African American man greeting an African American man-woman couple on a windy street corner, near the shop of a print dealer and where several fashionably-attired African American men and women are walking and standing. A river is visible below. In the left, the solitary man dressed in equestrian costume, including a white riding hat, green coat, and white ruffled shirt, holds a walking cane and comments about the "Black looking day." He extends a snuff box, with his ungloved left hand, to the man who is a part of the couple. The man, attired in a blue waistcoat and black pants, accepts the box with his ungloved right hand while holding a green umbrella under his left arm. He agrees about the stormy condition and that "De Blacks flying about so make it Petickly Disagreable." His woman partner, stands beside him and with her right hand under the elbow of his extended arm. She is attired in a white bonnet and a white shawl over a pink long-sleeved dress. She also wears white gloves, holds a black purse in her right hand, and her bonnet is adorned with a feather that blows in the breeze. Behind them, the African American men and women on promenade are similarly attired in waistcoats and pants; equestrian costume; and long-sleeved dresses and bonnets. Shadowy depictions of several prints are visible in the print dealer’s large display store window. Also shows in the far right, a river, bridge, and landscape. Figures are portrayed with oversize and exaggerated features and their skin tone is depicted with black hand coloring.
Notes Title from item.
Date inferred from content and name of publisher.
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 men -- Caricatures and cartoons -- Pennsylvania -- Philadelphia.
African American women -- Caricatures and cartoons -- Pennsylvania -- Philadelphia.
African Americans -- Clothing & dress -- Pennsylvania -- Philadelphia.
African American men -- Clothing & dress -- Pennsylvania -- Philadelphia.
African American women -- Clothing & dress -- Pennsylvania -- Philadelphia.
Conversation.
Middle class -- Clothing & dress -- Pennsylvania -- Philadelphia.
Print dealers -- Pennsylvania -- Philadelphia.
Racism in popular culture.
Rivers -- Pennsylvania -- Philadelphia.
Salutations -- Pennsylvania -- Philadelphia.
Snuff.
Winds -- Pennsylvania -- Philadelphia.
Genre Caricatures -- 1830-1840.
Aquatints -- Hand-colored -- 1830-1840.
Printer Tregear, G.S., publisher.
Location Library Company of Philadelphia| Print Department| Life in Philadelphia (London Set) [P.9710.1]
Accession number P.9710.1