A man looking through a magnifying glass at a picture of a monkey, whose flatulence extinguishes the flame of a candle; representing the pleasures of the sense of sight. Engraving, 17--.

Reference:
27128i
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About this work

Description

The first mezzotint produced by Edward Luttrell (active from ca. 1680; died ca. 1737) showed a 'woman farting out a candle', which was very popular (according to George Vertue cited by Griffiths, loc. cit.), though no copy is currently known to survive. The print this man is looking at seems to be a variant in which the woman is replaced by a monkey

Physical description

1 print : line engraving ; image 15.7 x 12.8 cm

Lettering

Seeing. Seeing so great a pleasure is / That by this fellows grinning phiz / He seems so pleas'd he's almost frantick / At seeing of his brother antick Bears number: 3

References note

A. Griffiths, The print in Stuart Britain, London: British Museum Press, [1998], p. 254 (version by Luttrell)

Reference

Wellcome Collection 27128i

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