Artist: Thomas Bewick (British, 1753-1828), designer and draughtsman on wood.
Title: Auctioning the baby. Tail-piece to the fable of 'The Fox and the Lion' by Aesop. "This appears to illustrate the following fable, ‘The Dog and the Wolf‘ which concerns the ‘savage state’ and ‘slavery’, which arise when liberty is ignored." Peter Osborne (Fables of Aesop and Gay’s Fables) and David Gardner-Medwin. The First Part of an Inventory of the Vignettes of Thomas Bewick and the Beilby-Bewick Workshop. The Bewick Society. p. 807.
Titled, Dated, and Signed in plate: Collector's stamp AU in ink in Gothic script recto.
Dimensions: Sheet 2 3/8" x 3 1/4".
Edition: The Fables of Aesop, and Others.
Date: 1811-1823.
Materials and Techniques: wood-engraving on paper, letterpress verso as issued.
Mat and Frame: backing sheet. The print is affixed to backing at the four corners.
Provenance:
- Monogram AU stamp in ink in Gothic script verso. (Not in Lugt).
- The Estate of George "Yorgo" Demetrakopoulos; professor, assistant director of the Medieval Institute, and assistant to the dean at Western Michigan University, Kalamazoo, Michigan, from 1965-2000.
Condition: Foxing. The backing sheet is torn apart and it would be good to replace it. The print is not affected. The signs of aging are appropriate for the time. A detailed condition report is available on demand.
Catalog Raisonne: Peter Osborne (Fables of Aesop and Gay’s Fables) and David Gardner-Medwin. The First Part of an Inventory of the Vignettes of Thomas Bewick and the Beilby-Bewick Workshop. The Bewick Society.
"If so the baby is a slave being sold. Could it be the offspring of the maid and the naval officer? Or might the seamen carry it to the American estates?" p. 807.
Part of: 'The Fables of Æsop, and Others' (Newcastle upon Tyne, 1818, p.286).
Museums and Libraries: The British Museum 2006,U.1814.
Art Movements, Periods & Schools: British School XVIII C.
Note: This entry incorporates text from Wikipedia and the catalog entry of a similar item from the British Museum collection.