Details
Creator Summers, William, artist.
Contributor Hunt, Charles engraver.
Hunt, Charles, engraver.
Tregear, G.S., publisher.
Title Life in Philadelphia. "Dat is bery fine, Mr. Mortimer..." [graphic] / C. Hunt, Sc.
Publisher London: Published by Tregear at his humourous Print Shop, Cheapside
Publisher ENG. London. 1833
Date [1833]
Physical Description 1 print: hand-colored aquatint; 22 x 17 cm (8.75 x 6.25 in.)
Description Racist caricature of an African American couple singing and playing guitar in a parlor. In the right, "Mr Mortimer," stands with his right hand over his heart and with his other holding a sheet of music. He wears mutton chops and is attired in a brown coat with tails, white bow tie, black pants, black stockings, black slipper shoes, and yellow gloves. His eyes look up and his mouth is open. He sings a love song while the woman seated in the left plays a guitar decorated with red ribbons. Her head is turned toward the man and she sits on a bench with a pink cushion. She wears a large white bonnet adorned with red and green bows and with ribbons tied into a bow under her chin. She is also attired in a blue dress with long puff sleeves, trim, and a laced bodice, red ankle-tied slipper shoes, as well as rings on her fingers. She comments that he sings "con a moor as de Italians say!!" The figures are portrayed with oversized and exaggerated features. Their skin tone is depicted with black hand coloring. Setting of scene also includes a carpet with a decorative pattern and framed portraits of an African American man and woman hanging on the wall behind the couple.
Notes Title from item.
Date inferred from content and name of publisher.
After the work of Edward W. Clay.
Attributed to William Summers.
Plate 12 of the original series published in Philadelphia.
Contains eight lines of dialogue in the vernacular and dialect below the image: Dat is bery fine, Mr. Mortimer, _ you sing quite con a moor, as de Italians say!! “Take away, take away dos rosy lips, “Rich, rich in balmy treasure!_”Turn away, turn away dose eyes o blub, “Less I die wid pleasure!!!”
Inscribed: No. 19.
Charles Hunt was a respected London engraver who is most well known for his aquatints of sporting subjects.
Copy published in Philadelphia described in Daily Chronicle, December 10, 1829, p. 2.
RVCDC
Description revised 2021.
Access points revised 2021.
Subject African Americans -- Caricatures and cartoons -- Pennsylvania -- Philadelphia.
African Americans -- Songs and music.
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.
Conversation.
Middle-class -- Clothing & dress -- Pennsylvania -- Philadelphia.
Parlors -- Pennsylvania -- Philadelphia
Racism in popular culture.
Genre Caricatures -- 1830-1840.
Aquatints -- Hand-colored -- 1830-1840.
Illustrator Hunt, Charles, engraver.
Printer Tregear, G.S., publisher.
Location Library Company of Philadelphia| Print Department | Life in Philadelphia (London Set) [P.9710.15]
Accession number P.9710.15