Charles Knight after R. Boyne.

Comic Readings.
Tragic Readings.

22.5 x 18.5 inches

A wonderful pair of prints, to be appreciated by anyone who has attempted to gain the attention of a room through oratory alone. In these delightful Georgian scenes, we see two speakers reading from two very different texts. In Comic Readings the audience is, by and large, amused and attentive whilst those listening to the Tragic Readings are beset with woe; one lady has fainted at the pathos of what she hears whilst others openly weep into handkerchiefs or look downcast. In both vignettes we witness the ubiquitous flirting that was so characteristic of such social events in the C18th. Ladies are being comforted, supported and, at worst, groped by gentlemen whose intentions vary from the honourable to the lecherous! The pictures hanging behind the audiences mirror the mood. In the comic plate we have an amusing equestrian print whilst tragedy is conveyed through scenes of imminent death and destruction.

Charles Knight (1743 – c.1826) was a stipple engraver working in London after his contemporaries. He specialised in decorative, historical and sporting subjects and studied under the famous Italian exponent of stipple engraving, Francesco Bartolozzi. These prints are perfect examples of his work.