pen cartoon

Made:
circa 1838-1843

Cartoon, ink pen (stylic art) depicting transport, about 1838 to 1843. The illustrations appear on a sheet of paper, apparently cut from an envelope and addressed to "His Grace the Duke of Dorset, 52 Harley Street, London". They include in the foreground a boy with a stout woman carrying a basket, and a well-dressed woman with her hands in a muffler accompanied by a snub-nosed man in a tall hat carrying a carpet bag and umbrella. In the background are stagecoaches, and a queue of passengers at Boxmoor station, with a rudimentary steam locomotive and carriages waiting. On the horizon are steam and sailing ships, and in the sky are hot air balloons, and flying messengers equipped with wings. At the centre of the illustration is a statue of a figure of oriental appearance, with a sleeping pig beneath. Although unsigned the style is the same as in cartoons produced by the artist "C.A.S." At bottom is written "POSTAGE FOUR PENCE" and the paper is marked with a red postal stamp, a cartouche with the inscription "G PAID 14MY14". The last line of the stamp is smudged and illegible, but may read "184?". The illustration has been pasted to board 224 x 287mm, with a binding that suggests it might once have formed part of an album.

Details

Category:
Pictorial Collection (Railway)
Object Number:
1998-11793
Measurements:
7.5 x 7 in.; 190.5 x 177.8 mm
type:
drawing and cartoon
credit:
British Rail, Clapham