We don’t have an image of this object online yet. V&A Images may have a photograph that we can’t show online, but it may be possible to supply one to you. Email us at vaimages@vam.ac.uk for guidance about fees and timescales, quoting the accession number: 1232:61-1882
Find out about our images

Image of Gallery in South Kensington
Request to view at the Prints & Drawings Study Room, level C , Case GG, Shelf 138, Box D

The Irish Footman

Print
25/03/15
Artist/Maker
Place of origin

Seated in a chair and showing signs of gout (a disease associated with excessive consumption of rich food and wine), a wealthy man shouts at his Irish servant, who has dragged a large sundial in from the garden. The master has ordered the servant to set his watch by checking it against the sundial. The servant, not understanding how the sundial works, has brought both it and the watch inside for the master to do it himself.

There was a significant population of Irish people in 18th and 19th century London, many of whom worked in domestic service. They were often the target of satires, which stereotyped them as lacking intelligence and being unable to comprehend English accents.


Object details

Object type
TitleThe Irish Footman (published title)
Materials and techniques
Hand-coloured etching
Brief description
Satirical print, 'The Irish Footman' after George Moutard Woodward, London, 1808.
Physical description
A wealthy man, seated and bearing the signs of gout, shouts at his servant who has dragged a stone sundial into the room with a fob watch hanging from it.
Dimensions
  • Height: 25.8cm
  • Width: 36cm
Dimensions are for sheet.
Credit line
Bequeathed by John Jones
Object history
Object originally bound in a guard-book containing one hundred and fifteen caricatures by T. Rowlandson, W. Heath, J. Gillray, R. Dighton, G. Cruikshank and others
Summary
Seated in a chair and showing signs of gout (a disease associated with excessive consumption of rich food and wine), a wealthy man shouts at his Irish servant, who has dragged a large sundial in from the garden. The master has ordered the servant to set his watch by checking it against the sundial. The servant, not understanding how the sundial works, has brought both it and the watch inside for the master to do it himself.

There was a significant population of Irish people in 18th and 19th century London, many of whom worked in domestic service. They were often the target of satires, which stereotyped them as lacking intelligence and being unable to comprehend English accents.
Collection
Accession number
1232:61-1882

About this object record

Explore the Collections contains over a million catalogue records, and over half a million images. It is a working database that includes information compiled over the life of the museum. Some of our records may contain offensive and discriminatory language, or reflect outdated ideas, practice and analysis. We are committed to addressing these issues, and to review and update our records accordingly.

You can write to us to suggest improvements to the record.

Suggest feedback

Record createdJune 8, 2009
Record URL
Download as: JSON