Fiddlestick versus Broomstick, Robert Seymour, 1831

A mayoral banquet, the lord mayor, key, in his robes, sits tipsily in his chair of state (left), saying, 'your very good health mister paganini!' on his left brougham stands with the tips of his fingers on the table, prevented from speaking by the (repeated) shouts of 'paganini' which rise from the company. His ugly features are sourly resentful; grey sits gloomily on his left holding his glass. These two look away from paganini, the centre of the design who stands on his chair, next grey. He holds bow and violin, and turns with a pleased smile to the right, where all the guests applaud, shouting 'bravo paganini'; 'bravo bravo bravo bravo'; 'lets hear some harmony'; 'ay ay let's hear bagoninny baganniny'. Shouts from (unseen) guests on the left include 'music music'; 'attention for paganini'; 'silence for paganini'. July 19 1831 lithograph. Date: 1831. Dimensions: Height: 213 mm (image); Width: 352 mm. Medium: paper. Depicted People: Henry Peter, 1st Baron Brougham and Vaux, . Collection: British Museum. Fiddlestick versus Broomstick (BM 1857,1222.193)