The March of Morality

William Heath ('Paul Pry')|Thomas McLean

1827–29 · Hand-colored etching · Drawings and Prints

This satire, set outside Thomas McLean's London printshop, shows a beadle dressed in a braid trimmed hat and greatcoat. Flourishing a cane, he walks along a sidewalk followed by two women who wear very large hats and low cut dresses. Three ragged salesmen hastily drape nude statues while the shop window behind displays colored caricatures of nudes including the Hottentot Venus and Achilles in Hyde Park. At right signs are lettered "Coffee Shop Beds," "Religious Tract Society / Cant" and "Dr. Eady / Church St Sch." and "Just published by Stockdale, St. James's Square"

Artist

William Heath ('Paul Pry')|Thomas McLean

Date

1827–29

Medium

Hand-colored etching

Department

Drawings and Prints

Credit line

The Elisha Whittelsey Collection, The Elisha Whittelsey Fund, 1971