The Victim, 1780

An elderly man seated in an arm-chair, in night-cap and dressing-gown, a crutch by his side, holds by the wrist a young girl, who is being brought to him by a stout woman. The girl holds a handkerchief to her eyes; she is gaily and meretriciously dressed. A monkey (left) holds a cat; a dog sits on a chair (right); a cat plays with a glove which hangs from the chair. On the wall (right) is a framed picture of a sheep about to be sacrificed before an altar. On the ground are books: on the "art of love" (left) stands a bottle of "viper wine". A large volume (left) is labelled rochester, indicating that it contains the works of the rake, rochester (d. 1680). On it is an open book inscribed, "this bud of beauty, other years demands, nor should be gather'd by such wither'd hands. " 1780 hand-coloured mezzotint. Date: 1780. Dimensions: Height: 353 mm; Width: 252 mm. Medium: paper. Depicted People: John Wilmot, 2nd Earl of Rochester. Collection: British Museum.