| Method | Copper engraving |
| Artist | M. Darly |
| Published | Pub accor. to Act by M. Darly, 39 Strand, Sepr 2d.1773 |
| Dimensions | Image 142 x 229 mm, Sheet 172 x 250 mm |
| Notes |
From an album of caricatures published by Mary Darly in 1776. Likley, but not irrefutably created by Matthew Darly, this print is a satire on the often-lampooned City of London militia. Other examples of these include Frederick William Fairholt's somewhat bizarre and zoomorphic 'City Trained Bands,' [25416] as well John Nixon's 'A Sudden Surprise to the City Militia' in which a bull scatters the ranks of the volunteers. In this work, the recruitment officer, seated on the right and clasping his half pike, is visited by two new applicants. They seem comically unfit for duty. The first has a wooden leg, whilst the second is a dwarf. Matthew Darly (c.1721-c.1792) was a British caricaturist, printseller, publisher, and ornamental engraver. In 1759, he married his second wife Mary (fl.1759-1792), also a caricaturist and printseller, who wrote and illustrated the first book on caricature drawing, A Book of Caricaturas, 1762. The Darlys worked together and independently, and by 1756, they had print shops in Fleet Street and the Strand. Most of their prints were engraved in a very similar style and, to complicate attribution, have a publication line of 'M.Darly', so differentiation between them is often difficult. Mary's plates were predominantly satires and caricatures, whereas Matthew, in addition to caricatures, was also a jobbing engraver and stationer, producing everything from topography to trade cards. BM Satires undescribed |
| Framing | unmounted |
| Price | £200.00 |
| Stock ID | 30671 |