Details
Title Life in Philadelphia. "Have you any flesh coloured silk stockings...?" [graphic] / C.B.G.
Publisher [New York]: [publisher not identified]
Publisher N.Y. New York. 1830
Date [ca. 1830]
Physical Description 1 print: hand-colored lithograph; 29 x 23 cm (11.5 x 9 in.)
Description Racist caricature of an African American woman shopping for a pair of "flesh coloured silk stockings" in a hosiery store with a white male sales clerk speaking with a French dialect. Depicts, in the center right, the woman standing at the blue and white counter in front of the clerk who holds up a pair of brown-colored stockings from out of a rectangular box. She is attired in a pink floral patterned dress, as well as tall, wide-brimmed pink hat adorned with several flowers, greenery, and a veil and long yellow ribbon, white gloves, earrings, and tan button-up boots. She rests her white, flower-patterned purse on the counter and holds up a monocle from the end of her neck fob to inspect the stockings that the clerk declares are of "de first qualite!" Her green parasol rests against the counter. Rows of stockings, including in the color of blue and pink, hang on the wall behind the clerk. The clerk is attired in a tan waistcoat with tails, a white vest, purple cravat, and purple pants. In the right, an African American woman attired in a blue polka dot dress and tall, wide brimmed hat adorned with ribbons is seen in the doorway of the shop in which purple and white curtains hang and are pushed to the side. The wheel of a carriage is seen behind the woman. The figures are portrayed with oversized and exaggerated features. The women’s skin tone is depicted with black hand coloring. The man is depicted with dark brown, curled hair.
Notes Title from item.
Date inferred from content.
Plate 11 of the original series published in Philadelphia.
After the work of Edward W. Clay.
Possibly by New York lithographer Curtis Burr Graham (1814-1890).
Contains five lines of dialogue in the vernacular and dialect above the image: Have you any flesh coloured silk stockings, young man? Oui Madame! here is von pair of de first qualité!
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 women -- Pennsylvania -- Philadelphia.
African American women -- Clothing & dress -- Pennsylvania -- Philadelphia.
Clerks (Retail trade) -- Pennsylvania -- Philadelphia.
Conversation.
Hosiery.
Men -- Clothing & dress -- Pennsylvania -- Philadelphia.
Middle-class -- Clothing & dress -- Pennsylvania -- Philadelphia.
Racism in popular culture.
Shopping -- Pennsylvania -- Philadelphia.
Genre Caricatures -- 1830-1840.
Lithographs -- Hand-colored -- 1830-1840.
Location Library Company of Philadelphia| Print Department| Life in Philadelphia (New York Set) [P.9701.10]
Accession number P.9701.10