Creator |
Clay, Edward Williams, 1799-1857, artist. |
Contributor |
Robinson, Henry R., -1850, publisher. |
Title |
The smokers. [graphic] / C. |
Publisher |
New York : Printed and publ'd by H.R. Robinson, 52 Courtlandt St |
Publisher |
N.Y. New York. 1837 |
Date |
1837 |
Physical Description |
1 print : lithograph ; sheet 32 x 45 cm (12 x 17.75 in.) |
Description |
Cartoon concerning smoking as a vice depicting a crowd scene where everyone smokes, including women and children. In the foreground,
a white man sits on a wooden chair holding a pipe in hand, refers to his "illustrious predecessor," Andrew Jackson. Two white
boys light their cigars together. A finely dressed white woman carrying a parasol is horrified and says, "Oh! The monsters,
I'm half blinded and suffocated" as she holds her nose. An elegantly dressed African American woman holds her hand to her
nose and exclaims, "What a nasty practice, it's enough to make a dog sick." In the right, a white man street peddler carries
a tray of plaster busts, including a pipe smoking Jackson. "Jack Downing," cigar in hand, states he picked up the habit in
France and that his lighter was made from Jackson's spectacles but thinks a loco-foco (a faction of the Democrats who were
named after a type of match) would go quicker. An African American chimney sweep and an African American shoe shiner shake
hands with cigars in their mouths. They are portrayed in racist caricature and speak in the vernacular about smoking. "I say
Josh, wot you smoke dem long nines for, why don't you smoke Half Spanish like a gen'leman." "Cause I've called in my Shin
Plasters, and suspended Specie payments!!"
|
Notes |
Title from item. |
|
Date from copyright statement: Entered according to act of Congress, in the Year 1837, by H.R. Robinson, in the Clerk's Office
of the District Court of the U.S. of the Southern Dist. of New York.
|
|
Text printed on recto: Tobacco is a stinking weed, It was the Devil sow'd the seed, It drains the purse & fouls the clothes,
And makes a chimney of the nose.
|
|
RVCDC |
|
Description revised 2021. |
|
Access points revised 2021. |
|
Part of digital collections catalog through a grant from the Institute of Museum and Library Services as administered by the
Pennsylvania Department of Education through the Office of the Commonwealth Libraries, and the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania,
Tom Corbett, Governor, 2013-2014.
|
Biographical / historical note |
Clay, born in Philadelphia, was a prominent caricaturist, engraver, and lithographer. |
Subject |
Jackson, Andrew, 1767-1845 -- Caricatures and cartoons. |
|
African American men -- Caricatures and cartoons. |
|
African American women -- Caricatures and cartoons. |
|
African Americans -- Caricatures and cartoons. |
|
Children smoking -- United States. |
|
Chimney sweeps -- United States. |
|
Downing, Jack (Fictitious character) -- 1830-1840. |
|
Peddlers -- United States. |
|
Racism in popular culture. |
|
Smoking -- United States. |
|
African American shoe shiners -- United States. |
Genre |
Lithographs -- 1830-1840. |
|
Political cartoons -- 1830-1840. |
Printer |
Robinson, Henry R., -1850, publisher. |
Location |
Library Company of Philadelphia| Print Department| Political Cartoons - 1837-25W [5656.F.3] |
Accession number |
5656.F.3 |