William Heath for Thomas McLean

Modern Peeping Toms who deserve to be sent to Coventry.
An Election Ball

15.5 x 10.5 inches

A pair of etchings in original hand colour; engraved by William Heath (using the monogram of Paul Pry) and published in London circa 1829.

A fabulous pair of Dandy prints from the reign of George IV whose main characters would not pass today's standards for political correctness. In Peeping Toms fashionable ladies are being leered at by a group of dandies replete with fulsome sideburns, jaunty toppers and extraordinary bell-bottoms. One leans upon the fence commenting upon a demure lady passing by: "Damn fine woman" whilst his chum takes a closer look down her cleavage and remarks "I say Bob, there's some good points about this one". At the Election Ball we witness a fortune hunting fop asking for the hand of a very unprepossessing girl whilst her obese mother swells with pride. Fellow ball-goers assembled to the rear are aghast that he should chose her to accompany him on the dance floor but perhaps they are unaware of the extent of her dowry!