The painter stands in a door frame painting and thumbs his nose. The text derides him for the odors that cling to him., Text: Begone from me! thou filthy man of paint, / Thy presence here doth almost make me faint; / Dost think that I could have for Valentine, / A man who smells so strong of turpentine., Provenance: McAllister, John A. (John Allister), 1822-1896, collector.
The painter paints a wall green. Mucus drips from his nose. A ladder is set up behind him. The text derides him for being a house painter rather than an artist, and for the odors that cling to him., Text: A PAINTER you! you surely jest-- / You're but a dauber at the best; / Your very breath it makes me faint, So strong it stinks of oil and paint. / What girl can love, do you suppose, / Your empty head and putty nose? / So pester me no longer, pray, / But with your stink-pot walk away., Provenance: McAllister, John A. (John Allister), 1822-1896, collector.
The painter stands on a ladder with a paint brush in hand to paint a wall. A bucket hangs from his ladder., Text: Nasty Painter, your paper cap so very thin / Reminds me of your brains within; / Paint thy own likeness, filthy elf, / And be thy Valentine thyself.
A man is painting a sign with a large brush. The sign is untidily painted and the man is spilling paint from the pan he holds. This, combined with the pipe he is smoking and the patches on his pants, suggest his work is generally slipshod., Text: You wretched, worthless bungler, to see you try to paint, / I'm sure would spoil the temper of even a first-class saint, / For you cannot lay a color, and the letters you design, / Look like a lot of scare-crows drawn up in a line ; / You're a dirty, mussy dauber, without a bit of taste, / And a building with a sign of yours is thoroughly defaced., Provenance: Helfand, William H..
