The Refusal, John Goldar, 1768

A satire on unsuccessful seduction: a prostitute attempt to lure a young man. An attractive young woman puts her arm on the shoulder of a reluctant young man whose arms are firmly crossed across his chest; her kerchief falls open revealing her breast and her cap has slipped back showing hair ornaments and a large earring; she smiles revealing a glimpse of her teeth. An older woman, presumably a bawd, stands behind drinking punch from a large bowl; materials for making punch are on the table and two wine glasses lie on the table at which the man is seated. The man's hat and stick hang on the wall; a door on the left is half open and on the right is a curtain, presumably concealing a bed. The scene is set in an oval in a stone wall. 1 february 1768 etching and engraving. Date: 1768. Dimensions: Height: 335 mm; Width: 370 mm. Medium: paper. Collection: British Museum. The Refusal (BM 1869,0213.8)