Not currently on display at the V&A

George Speaight Punch & Judy Collection

Print
ca. 1859 (published)
Artist/Maker
Thomas Hailes Lacy (publisher)
Lacy & Parker (publishers)
Cruikshank, George (artist)
Place of origin
London (published)

Illustration proofs (no. 1429_1430) for the 4th edition of Punch & Judy first published by Lacy and Parker. This work contained the play The Tragical Comedy or Comical Tragedy of Punch and Judy and was illustrated by George Cruikshank 1828.

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Discover more about this object
read "That's the way to do it!" A history of Punch & Judy Punch and Judy is the traditional puppet show featuring Mr. Punch and his wife Judy. An archetypical and controversial British figure with his origins in the charismatic 16th century Italian puppet Pulcinella, Mr Punch has been performing in the UK for over 350 years.

Object details

Category
Entertainment & Leisure
Object type
Print
TitleGeorge Speaight Punch & Judy Collection (named collection)
Materials and techniques
etching, ink on india paper
Printing Ink
Paper
India Paper
Print-Making
Etching (Corroding)
Brief description
Illustration proofs (no. 1429_1430) for the 4th edition of The Tragical Comedy, or Comical Tragedy of Punch & Judy with etchings by George Cruikshank first published by Lacy and Parker, ca. 1859, George Speaight Punch & Judy Collection.
Physical description
Two etchings printed in black ink on india paper. Both etchings depict scenes from a Punch & Judy show performed in a puppet theatre. The top illustration shows Punch informing Pretty Polly that he has killed her father. The etching below this shows a male character dressed as a courtier who addresses the right and left of the stage and then the middle where his head stretches unnaturally towards the ceiling.
Dimensions
  • Size of india paper height: 23.5cm
  • Size of india paper width: 16.2cm
  • Total including mount height: 32.2cm
  • Total including mount width: 25.2cm
Credit line
Accepted by HM Government in Lieu of Inheritance Tax and allocated to the V&A in 2010.
Subject depicted
Punch
Literary referencePunch and Judy
Summary
Illustration proofs (no. 1429_1430) for the 4th edition of Punch & Judy first published by Lacy and Parker. This work contained the play The Tragical Comedy or Comical Tragedy of Punch and Judy and was illustrated by George Cruikshank 1828.
Other number
Punch Medium Size File
Collection
Theatre and Performance Collection
Accession number
S.929-2010

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Record createdJune 10, 2010
Record URL
https://collections.vam.ac.uk/item/O1159959/george-speaight-punch--judy-print-cruikshank-george/
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