The Battle of the Barbers and Surgeons, Isaac Cruikshank, 1797

Hand-to-hand encounters between surgeons, indicated by their instruments and their old-fashioned dress, and barbers, wearing aprons and also with the tools of their trade. In the centre a barber seizes the wig and neck-cloth of his antagonist, who says: "take care of my wig i had it new to go down to the house". The other answers: "i ll dress your wig for you master bolus - you bleed indeed - why i let as much blood for a penny, as you charge a pound for". A barber (left) bends over his prostrate victim (who cries murder murder), saying, "i'll teach you to despise gentlemen barbers you pitiful pill monger. " a stout well-dressed surgeon (right) raises his tasselled cane to strike a terrified and ragged barber, saying: "ill teach you, you beggarly scoundrel to call yourself barber-surgeon & poking out your damn'd pole - when i am riding in my chariot". The other screams "o dear brother dressum youll throttle me i take in my pole damn the cutting part of the business". Behind (left), under a barber's pole from which hangs a barber's basin, a surgeon raises his cane to smite a fleeing barber. In the background two other couples are fighting. See bmsat 9092, &c. 14 august 1797 hand-coloured etching. Date: 1797. Dimensions: Height: 235 mm; Width: 375 mm. Medium: paper. Collection: British Museum. The Battle of the Barbers and Surgeons (BM 1935,0522.7.25)