Details
Creator Summers, William, artist.
Contributor Hunt, Charles engraver.
Hunt, Charles, engraver.
Tregear, G.S., publisher.
Title Life in Philadephia [sic]. The valentine. [graphic] / Designd & drawn by W. Summers; Hunt sculpt.
Publisher London: Published by G.S. Tregear, Cheapside
Publisher ENG. London. 1833
Date [ca. 1833]
Physical Description 1 print: hand-colored aquatint; sheet 33 x 25 cm (12.75 x 10 in.)
Description Racist caricature depicting an African American man reading a comic valentine in his bedroom as he prepares for bed. Shows the bearded man, beside a bed with a pink canopy, holding the back of a tilted chair (his waistcoat on it) with his left hand and holding up the valentine illustrated with a picture of the devil in his right hand. The man is portrayed with an angry expression and standing with his feet far apart. He wears a night cap, a blue-striped shirt, a black neck tie, brown pantaloons from which a watch fob hangs, white stockings and one red slipper. A water pitcher and boots lie near his feet. In the left, an African American woman, smiles, and stands behind the ajar bedroom door. She wears a night bonnet, neckerchief, short-sleeved shirt, blue skirt, and black slippers. A stairwell is seen behind her. Figures are portrayed with oversized and exaggerated features and their skin tone is depicted in black hand coloring.
Notes Title from item,
Date inferred from content and name of publisher.
Contains one bubble of dialogue in the vernacular within the image: Holl’a! What’s all dis about_. “De rose is Red de Violets blue” De Debils Black and so are You. Well dat’s bery Fair indeed.
Inscribed: No. 6.
Charles Hunt was a respected 19th-century London engraver and etcher known mostly for his prints of sporting subjects.
RVCDC
Description revised 2022.
Access points revised 2022.
Subject African Americans -- Caricatures and cartoons -- Pennsylvania -- Philadelphia.
African American men -- Caricatures and cartoons -- Pennsylvania -- Philadelphia.
African American women -- Caricatures and cartoons -- Pennsylvania -- Philadelphia.
African Americans -- Clothing & dress -- Pennsylvania -- Philadelphia.
African American men -- Clothing & dress -- Pennsylvania -- Philadelphia.
African American women -- Clothing & dress -- Pennsylvania -- Philadelphia.
Bedrooms -- Pennsylvania -- Philadelphia.
Middle class -- Clothing & dress -- Pennsylvania -- Philadelphia.
Racism in popular culture.
Valentines.
Genre Caricatures -- 1830-1840.
Aquatints -- Colored -- 1830-1840.
Valentines -- 1830-1840.
Illustrator Hunt, Charles, engraver.
Printer Tregear, G.S., publisher.
Location Library Company of Philadelphia| Print Department| Life in Philadelphia (London Set) [P.9710.6]
Accession number P.9710.6