Punch, or the London Charivari, Volume 1, CompleteVarious
General
Punch, or the London Charivari, Volume 1, Complete
Various
English wit and humor -- Periodicals
Placed on the right of the last-mentioned work of art, is a
representation of a young lady, as seen when presenting a full-blown
flower to a favourite parrot. There is a delicate simplicity in the
attitude and expression of the damsel, which, though you fail to
discover the like in the tortuous figures of Taglioni or Cerito, we have
often observed in the conduct of ladies many years in the seniority of
the one under notice, who, ever mindful of the idol of their thoughts
and affectionsa feline companionmay be seen carrying a precious
morsel, safely skewered, in advance of them; this gentleness the artist
has been careful to retain to eminent success. We are, nevertheless,
woefully at a loss to divine what the allegory can possibly be (for as
such we view it), what the analogy between a pretty poll and a pol-
yanthus. We are unlearned in the language of flowers, or, perhaps, might
probe the mystery by a little floral discussion. We are, however,
compelled to leave it to the noble order of freemasons, and shall
therefore wait patiently an opportunity of communicating with his Royal
Highness the Duke of Sussex. In the meantime we shall not he silent upon
the remaining qualities of the work as a general wholethe young
ladythe parrotthe polyanthus, and the chiaro-scuro, are as excellent
as usual in this our most amusing painters productions.
As a pendant to this, we are favoured with the portrait of a young
gentleman upon a half-holidayand, equipped with cricket means, his
dexter-hand grasps his favourite bat, whilst the left arm gracefully
encircles a hat, in which is seductively shown a genuine Duke. The
sentiment of this picture is unparalleled, and to the young hero of any
parish eleven is given a stern expression of Lords Marylebone ground.
We can already (aided by perspective and imagination) see him before a
future generation of cricketers, shoulder his bat, and show how games
were won. The bat is well drawn and coloured with much truth, and with
that strict observance of harmony which is so characteristic of the
excellences of art. The artist has felicitously blended the tone and
character of the bat with that of the young gentlemans head. As to the
ball, we do not recollect ever to have seen one in the works of any of
the old masters so true to nature. In conclusion, the buttons on the
jacket, and the button-holes, companions thereto, would baffle the
criticism of the most hyper-fastidious stab-rag; and the shirt collar,
with every other detailnever forgetting the chiaro-scuroare equal to
any of the preceding.
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
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