| Creator |
Clay, Edward Williams, 1799-1857, etcher. |
| Contributor |
Hart, Sarah, publisher. |
| Title |
Life in Philadelphia. "Dat is bery fine, Mr. Mortimer..." [graphic] / Clay, fecit, 1829. |
| Publisher |
Philadelphia: Published by S. Hart, 65 So. 3d. St |
| Publisher |
PA. Philadelphia. 1830 |
| Date |
[1830] |
| Physical Description |
1 print: hand-colored etching; sheet 20 x 19 cm (8 x 7.5 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
green coat with tails, red collar, blue bow tie, yellow pants, 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 pink
ribbons. Her head is turned toward the man and she sits on a bench with a pink cushion. She wears a large yellow bonnet adorned
with 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, 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 also includes a carpet with a decorative pattern.
|
| Notes |
Title from item. |
|
Date inferred from content and name of publisher. |
|
Contains eight lines of dialogue in the vernacular and dialect above 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: Plate 12. |
|
Inscribed: Copy right secured. |
|
Sarah Hart was a Jewish Philadelphia stationer who with her son, Abraham Hart, a future eminent Philadelphia publisher, assumed
the publishing of the "Life in Philadelphia" series in 1829. She, alone, reprinted the entire series of 14 prints in 1830.
|
|
First edition of print 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 -- 1820-1830. |
|
Etchings -- Hand-colored -- 1820-1830. |
| Printer |
Hart, Sarah, publisher. |
| Location |
Library Company of Philadelphia| Print Department| Life in Philadelphia (Philadelphia Set) [P.9701.4] |
| Accession number |
P.9701.4 |
