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George Speaight Punch & Judy Collection
Unknown - Enlarge image
George Speaight Punch & Judy Collection
- Object:
Print
- Place of origin:
London, England (printed)
- Artist/Maker:
Unknown (artist)
S. W. Fores (publisher)
Kohler, W. (printer) - Materials and Techniques:
printing ink on paper
- Credit Line:
Accepted by HM Government in Lieu of Inheritance Tax and allocated to the V&A in 2010.
- Museum number:
S.1162-2010
- Gallery location:
In Storage
This black and white lithograph is entitled 'The Political Charivari', a title that may have been inspired by the French illustrated newspaper Le Charivari (the literal translation of which is Pandemonium). This newspaper was published from 1832-1937 and its success inspired the English magazine Punch which was established in 1841 and subtitled 'The London Charivari'.
It shows a traditional Punch and Judy stand in which a puppet, dressed in a harlequin's suit and with the hump and tall hat that characterised the punchinellos, holds a sturdy stick marked 'Opposition'. He is being manipulated by a shadowy figure whose head is just visible in the bottom right hand corner of the stand. In front of this stand are two figures. The man on the left is dressed in a tightly buttoned overcoat and a conical hat and is playing a mouth organ. In his left hand he raises a drum stick in the air. The man on the left wears a checked overcoat and holds out his top hat (presumably to collect money from spectators).
It was published in London in August 1829 by S.W. Fores, 41 Piccadilly and printed by W.Kohler, 22 Denmark St. Soho. George. It is part of the George Speaight Punch & Judy Collection.
