[Life in Philadelphia miniatures]
Title
[Life in Philadelphia miniatures]
Description
Five cartes-de-visite size racist and sexist social caricatures derived from the series "Life in Philadelphia," including figures in brightly colored and ornately patterned fashion. Lines of dialogue are included below the images. Depicts a scene of a white man sexually harassing a white woman, their fashion caricatured (P.9717.1); a thwarted celebration of the election of Andrew Jackson centered on an African American man and boy portrayed in caricature (P.9717.2); a discussion of hot weather between an African American man and woman portrayed in caricature (P.9717.3); a dance ball centered on an African American man and woman portrayed in caricature ((P.9717.4); and the purchase of silk stockings by an African American woman portrayed in caricature (P.9717.5). The prints are captioned respectively: "Good Evening Miss..."; "Why for you hurrah for General Jackson?"; "How you find yourself dis hot weder Miss Chloe?"; "Shall I hab de honor to dance de next quadrille...?"; and "Have you any flesh colored silk stockings...?" The scenes also contain detailed backgrounds that include cityscape, pedestrian traffic, figures at celebration, bucolic scenery, the interior of a ballroom with white attendees, and the interior of a clothing store attended by a white man clerk speaking with a French dialect. The African American figures are portrayed with exaggerated features and stances. The white woman figure is portrayed with an exaggerated silhouette because of her fashion comprised of a bell-shaped overcoat and dress., Title supplied by cataloguer., Date inferred from content., P.9717.1 contains lines of dialogue below the image: Good evening Miss, shall I have the pleasure of walking with you._ Me Sir!! for whom do you take me, Sir?_ Come that’s a good one!-for whom do I take you? Why for myself to be sure., P.9717.2 contains lines of dialogue in the vernacular and dialect below the image: Hurrah! Hurrah for General Jackson. Why for you hurrah for General Jackson – you black Nigger – I’ll larn you better – I’m a ministration man., P.9717.3 contains lines of dialogue in the vernacular and dialect below the image: How you find yourself dis hot weder Miss Chloe? Pretty well I tank you Mr. Cesar, only I aspire too much., P.9717.4 contains lines of dialogue in the vernacular and dialect below the image: Shall I habe de honour to dance next Quadrille wid you Miss Minta. Tank you Mr. Cato wid much pleasure only I’, engaged for de next nine Set!”, P.9717.5 contains lines of dialogue in the vernacular and dialect below the image: Have you any Flesh color’d Silk Stockings young Man? Oui Madame! Her is von pair of de first quality., RVCDC, Description revised 2021., Access points revised 2021.
Date
[ca. 1833]
Location
Library Company of Philadelphia | Print Department Life in Philadelphia (London) [P.9717.1-.5]