Durham mustard too powerfull for Italian capers, or the opera in an uproar, Isaac Cruikshank, circa 1798

The bishop of durham strides across the footlights on to the stage, his left foot on the shoulder of one of the orchestra below. He wears a mitre and holds his crosier in both hands, as if to attack four danseuses holding garlands of roses who pirouette derisively. He says: "avaunt the satan, i fear the not assume whatever shape or form thou wilt i am determined to lay the thou black fiend. " the heads of some of the orchestra appear behind his left leg. A profile head on the extreme left says "thats right down with them". Against the wall (left) are a carved satyr and a playbill: 'the divil of a lover - hes much tlame' [to blame] and 'peeping tom' (by o'keefe, 1784). The first was a musical farce played once only on 17 mar. 1798, the second was first played on 13 feb. 1798. Genest, vii. 360, 361. C. March 1798 hand-coloured etching. Date: circa 1798. Dimensions: Height: 245 mm; Width: 354 mm. Medium: paper. Depicted People: Shute Barrington, Bishop of Durham. Collection: British Museum. Durham mustard too powerfull for Italian capers, or the opera in an uproar (BM 1868,0808.6711)