A whole length figure stands full-face divided by a vertical line, one half (left) representing a man, the other a woman. The background is similarly bisected, one half (left) being a surgeon's dispensary, the other a carpeted room with a domestic grate on which a saucepan is heating. Beneath the title: 'or a newly discover'd animal, not known in buff on's time; for a more full description of this monster, see, an ingenious book, lately publish'd, price 3/6, entitled, man-midwifery dessected, containing a variety of well authenticated cases, elucidating this animal's propensities to cruelty & indecency, sold by the publisher of this print, who has presented the author with the above for a frontispiece to his book. ' the surgeon, who is fashionably dressed, holds an instrument inscribed 'lever'; the woman holds out a small vessel. The man's bottles, &c, are ranged on three shelves; on the lowest, inscribed 'this shelf for my own use', are bottles inscribed 'love water', 'cantharides', 'eau de vie', 'cream of violets'. Obstetric instruments are inscribed: 'forceps', 'boring scissors', and 'blunt hook'. On the ground (left) is a large pestle and mortar. 15 june 1793. Hand-coloured etching. Date: 1793. Dimensions: Height: 251 mm; Width: 205 mm. Medium: paper. Collection: British Museum. A man-mid-wife (BM 1868,0808.6299)
Loading...