© Copyright 2020 - The Library Company of Philadelphia, 1314 Locust Street, Philadelphia, PA 19107. TEL (215) 546-3181 FAX (215) 546-5167
For inquiries, please contact our IT Department
- Title
- [Prodigal Son series, 1775]
- Description
- Six prints based upon Sebastian Le Clerc II's 1751 series, "L'Histoire de l'enfant prodigue," depicting the Prodigal Son parable of sin, penitence, and salvation. Includes two Black characters: a prostitute and a male servant. The six scenes titled: La Enfant prodigue exigeant sa Legitime; Le depart de l'Enfant prodigue; Vie debauche de l'Enfant prodigue; L'Enfant prodigue dans la plus grande Misere; L'Enfant prodigue reclamant la bonte de son Pere; Rejouissances pour le Retour de l'Enfant prodigue depict the white son claiming his patrimony, taking leave of his father, living a debaucherous life with prostitutes, in misery as a swineherder, returning penitent to his father, and celebrating his return with a feast., "Vie debauche de l'enfant prodigue" shows the prodigal son engaged in immoral behavior. Depicts the young white man, attired in a white wig, a jacket, breeches, white stockings, and buckled shoes, seated at a table with three prostitutes. He leans over and gropes the breast of the white woman, who touches his face with her left hand and raises a glass in her right hand. The Black woman sits in the left and holds a glass in her left hand. The women are attired in wigs in high hairstyles ornamented with ribbons, bows, and feathers, dresses, and heeled dress shoes. The table has plates of food, cutlery, and glasses set upon it. On the floor is a tub filled with bottles. Several bottles are knocked over at the man’s feet, including one that is spilling out alcohol. In the right, a servant woman, attired in a white cap, a plain dress, and an apron, bends over a gambling table to tidy up the cards and chips., "Rejouissances pour le retour de l'enfant prodigue" shows the celebration of the prodigal son’s return with a feast. Depicts four white men and two white women seated at the dining table. The men are attired in wigs, white shirts, jackets, breeches, white stockings, and buckled shoes. The women are attired in wigs in high hairstyles ornamented with ribbons and bows and dresses with bows at the neck. The feasters eat and drink at the table, which has glasses, plates, and cutlery set on it. Two white men servants, attired in wigs, white shirts, and uniform jackets, stand behind the diners and serve food on a plate. In the left, a Black man servant, attired in a wig, a white shirt, a uniform jacket, breeches, white stockings, and buckled shoes, crouches behind a chair to hide and drinks from a bottle. The man seated in the chair turns around to look at him. At his feet is a tub filled with bottles, one bottle knocked over, and an additional bottle by his chair. In the top right background is a balcony where four white men musicians play, including two violinists and possibly an oboe player., Prints numbered 1-6 lower left corner., Series title supplied by cataloger., Publication information inferred from name of engraver and the attire of the depicted figures., See Ellen G. D'Oench's Prodigal Son narratives, 1480-1980 (Connecticut: Yale University Art Gallery and Davison Art Center, Wesleyan University, 1995)., Purchase 1971., 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.
- Creator
- Haid, Johann Elias, 1739-1809, engraver
- Date
- [ca. 1775]
- Location
- Library Company of Philadelphia | Print Department *Prodigal Son-1775 [7943.F.1-6]
- Title
- L' Amerique
- Description
- Allegorical print depicting the Americas as a Black woman and boy. The woman dressed in a bejeweled feather head piece, pearls, and shawl has a black parrot perched on her hand and overlooks the shoulder of a reclining boy. The boy, draped in a blue cloth and holding a bow, his cache of arrows beneath him, wears a feather armband and gold collar. He returns the glance of the woman. A palm tree stands behind them., Title from item., Date inferred from content., RVCDC, Description revised 2021., Access points revised 2021., Purchase 1971., 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., Haid was a Bavarian engraver, portraitist, and book illustrator.
- Creator
- Haid, Johann Jacob, 1704-1767, artist
- Date
- [ca. 1755]
- Location
- Library Company of Philadelphia | Print Department *GC-Allegories [7993.F.3]
- Title
- The election a medley, humbly inscribed, to Squire Lilliput Professor of Scurrillity
- Description
- A pro-Franklin cartoon depicting a crowd gathered to vote at the Philadelphia courthouse during the Pennsylvania Assembly election of October 1764. The print advocates Franklin's appointment as provincial agent to Britain despite his election loss which was a result of his double-sided politics in dealing with the "Paxton Boys," white frontiersmen who murdered peaceful Native Americans. Contains thirty-three verses attributed to Rev. Isaac Hunt to be sung to various tunes. Created as an attack on satirist James Dove, referred to in this title as "Squire Lilliput Professor of Scurrillity," in response to his anti-Franklin print, "The Paxton Expedition." The courthouse crowd includes caricatures of James Dove and five African Americans, including a woman stating in the vernacular, "Mase Lidiput you puchuss a me," a reference to a character pursued sexually by Dove in an earlier anti-Dove cartoon, "A Conference between the Devil and Mr. Dove" (1764)., Place and date of publication provided by Snyder and Murrell., Possibly after the work of Henry Dawkins., Manuscript note: Published for the Election of the 1st of 8th 1764 of Philadelphia., 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., RVCDC, Description revised 2021., Access points revised 2021.
- Date
- [1764]
- Location
- Library Company of Philadelphia | Print Department Political Cartoons - [1764] Ele [959.F.74]
- Title
- The election a medley, humbly inscribed, to Squire Lilliput Professor of Scurrillity
- Description
- A pro-Franklin cartoon depicting a crowd gathered to vote at the Philadelphia courthouse during the Pennsylvania Assembly Election of October 1764. The print advocates Franklin's appointment as provincial agent to Britain despite his election loss which was a result of his double-sided politics in dealing with the "Paxton Boys," white frontiersmen who murdered peaceful Native Americans. Contains thirty-three verses attributed to Rev. Isaac Hunt to be sung to various tunes. Created as an attack on satirist James Dove, referred to in this title as "Squire Lilliput Professor of Scurrillity," in response to his anti-Franklin print, "The Paxton Expedition." The courthouse crowd includes caricatures of James Dove and five African Americans, including a woman stating in the vernacular, "Mase Lidiput you puchuss a me," a reference to a character pursued sexually by Dove in an earlier anti-Dove cartoon, "A Conference between the Devil and Mr. Dove" (1764)., Place and date of publication provided by Snyder and Murrell., Possibly after the work of Henry Dawkins., Manuscript note on recto in Watson's hand: Wrote by the Revd. Isaac Hunt at or before 1764 - when Franklin was made agent to London for this "Medley" says "Franklin will be agent." [and] Property of John F. Watson., Manuscript note on verso: Purchased from John F. Watson, Esq. June 14 1860. C.P. [Charles Poulson]., LCP copy lacking fragments along center vertical fold. Backed with laid paper., 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.
- Date
- [1764]
- Location
- Library Company of Philadelphia | Print Department Political Cartoons - [1764] Ele [1885.F.32]