Every Man on His Perch or Going to Hobby Fair
Satirical Etching
1819 (etched)
1819 (etched)
| Artist/Maker | |
| Place of origin |
The velocipede was the forerunner of the modern bicycle. A version of it was patented in London in 1818 and they became all the rage in early 1819. Instead of pedalling, the rider propelled himself along with light touches of the feet on the ground. It was claimed that speeds of up to ten miles an hour could be reached on them.
Each rider represents a different nationality, profession, type or character from literature. Some of the velocipedes have been customised according to their rider: the farmer rides a plough, the fishmonger a fish, and the Scotsman has a bowl of steaming porridge on the back and a thistle on the front.
Each rider represents a different nationality, profession, type or character from literature. Some of the velocipedes have been customised according to their rider: the farmer rides a plough, the fishmonger a fish, and the Scotsman has a bowl of steaming porridge on the back and a thistle on the front.
Object details
| Categories | |
| Object type | |
| Title | Every Man on His Perch or Going to Hobby Fair (assigned by artist) |
| Materials and techniques | Etching coloured by hand |
| Brief description | 'Every Man on his Perch or Going to Hobby Fair', etching by Isaac Robert Cruikshank, London, 1819 |
| Physical description | Satirical etching depicting men of different professions and nationalities riding velocipedes (a forerunner of the modern bicycle). |
| Dimensions |
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| Credit line | Bequeathed by Frank A. Gibson |
| Subjects depicted | |
| Summary | The velocipede was the forerunner of the modern bicycle. A version of it was patented in London in 1818 and they became all the rage in early 1819. Instead of pedalling, the rider propelled himself along with light touches of the feet on the ground. It was claimed that speeds of up to ten miles an hour could be reached on them. Each rider represents a different nationality, profession, type or character from literature. Some of the velocipedes have been customised according to their rider: the farmer rides a plough, the fishmonger a fish, and the Scotsman has a bowl of steaming porridge on the back and a thistle on the front. |
| Collection | |
| Accession number | E.1230-1990 |
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| Record created | June 6, 2007 |
| Record URL |
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