Youth and Age, Robert Dighton, between 1780 and 1790

An old apple-woman sits asleep beside a table on which fruit (apples and strawberries) is arranged, with baskets under the table. A dog sleeps beside her. A little boy (left) pushes an ear of corn up her nose; a little girl eggs him on. The children are dressed up, as if for sunday, and the scene is in the fields near london, st. Paul's on the horizon. Behind the woman (right) is a closed box, resembling a sentry-box, on which are placards including an enlistment notice, the right part cut off: 'all able bo[died men. . ] willing to [serve. . ] five gui[neas. . ]. '  ? 1793 [see curatorial comment] hand-coloured mezzotint. Date: between 1780 and 1790. Dimensions: Height: 346 mm; Width: 243 mm. Medium: paper. Collection: British Museum. Youth and Age (BM 1935,0522.1.78)