Details
Creator Summers, William, artist.
Contributor Hunt, Charles engraver.
Hunt, Charles.
Tregear, G.S., publisher.
Title Life in Philadelphia. "Shall I hab de honour to dance de next quadrille...?" [graphic] / Chas. Hunt, Sc.
Publisher London: Published by Tregear, at his humourous Print Shop, Cheapside
Publisher ENG. London. 1833
Date [ca. 1833]
Physical Description 1 print: hand-colored aquatint; 20 x 17 cm (7.5 x 6.5 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, yellow pantaloons and white stockings, ruffled white shirt, white cravat, 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 yellow, cap-sleeved gown with blue trim and an apron detail, a large white and pink-striped 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." The figures are portrayed with oversized and exaggerated features. Their skin tone is depicted with black hand coloring. Scene also includes a wooden chair with a red padded seat partially visible in the left foreground and background imagery depicting the interior of a ballroom with a large mirror and other African American men and women ball attendees portrayed with exaggerated features.
Notes Title from item.
Date inferred from content and name of publisher.
After the work of Edward W. Clay.
Attributed to William Summers.
Inscribed: No. 16.
Shane White and Graham White's Stylin': African American Expressive Culture... (Ithaca: Cornell University Press, 1998), p. 98. (LCP Ii 4, A2880.O).
Charles Hunt was a respected London engraver who was most known for his aquatints of sporting subjects.
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 -- 1830-1840.
Aquatints -- Hand-colored -- 1830-1840.
Illustrator Hunt, Charles.
Printer Tregear, G.S., publisher.
Location Library Company of Philadelphia| Print Department| Life in Philadelphia (London Set) [P.9710.13]
Accession number P.9710.13