Elements of Skateing. A Fundamental Error in the Art of Skateing

Edinburgh: John Miller, 1818. Etching with hand coloring. Image measures 9.5 x 13". Sheet measures 9.5 x 13.5".<br/><br/> As a part in a 4-part series, this print depicts several "errors" in ice-skating such as skating with a walking cane or not being aware of where you are skating. Popularized in the late eighteenth century, ice-skating became a favorite winter recreation which in some ways could be at extreme odds with the societal emphasis on respectability. Always having a keen eye for the ridiculous, Gillray has several gentlemen tumbling over themselves on the ice. One character is nearly having his eye gouged by another's cane. This print was probably published around its original publication year in 1805. There is overall staining, but it complements the dark color of the original paper. Stamp on verso reads "Roland C. Geist Collection." James Gillray (1756-1816) was a British caricaturist and printmaker who used impressive manipulation of the human form to create some of the most biting satire of the period. With subjects ranging from ladies' fashion to the Napoleonic Wars, Gillray' ridicule of leaders such as Napoleon all the way to George III were rarely rivaled in their sardonic humor or their originality. Thus, the print appears as exemplary of the work for which Gillray is famous.<br/><br/>