Ancient Military Dandies of 1450- Modern Military Dandies of 1819

Artist George Cruikshank (British, 1792–1878)

Publisherpublished by G. Humphrey (British, 1783–1831)

Date1819

Mediumetching with watercolor

Dimensionssheet: 26.5 × 36 cm (10 7/16 × 14 3/16 in.)

ClassificationsPrints

Credit LineGift of Dr. Samuel B. Woodward

Terms

Object number1934.710

DescriptionNumber 884 in Cohn.
Label TextGeorge Cruikshank was a leading satirical artist of his day. His early work playfully mocked the excesses of contemporary culture and fashion. In this print, dandified British soldiers in stylish uniforms admire their more robust ancestors in full plate armor. Cruikshank’s cheeky inscription sets the scene in the Gothic Hall in Pall Mall, where Londoners could view—and purchase—antique arms and armor. The “Gothic Revival” was inspiring a rediscovery of the Middle Ages. Readers devoured the novels of Sir Walter Scott; churches were decorated with medieval-style stained glass; and collectors filled their homes with medieval armor. By the late 1800s, the Gothic Revival had spread across the Atlantic, and European armor began to enter American collections as well. ProvenanceDr. Samuel B. Woodward

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