"The Entertaining History of Little Jack" [School piece or Penmanship sheet]
This printed sheet is decorated at the top and sides with images that illustrate Thomas Day's "The Entertaining History of Little Jack." A vignette along the bottom shows a boy running in a landscape towards a goat. "The Story of Little Jack" was first published in 1788 with illustrations by Bewick and belongs to a genre that focused on stories centered on orphans or foundlings.
The work comes from a genre known as writing sheets, writing blanks, penmanship exercises, letter sheets or school pieces, published in Britain from the 1660s to 1860s and used by students to demonstrate their handwriting abilities. This example never used. While the publisher dated this print 1806, the paper is watermarked 1815, demonstrating that the printing plate was used over a long period.
The work comes from a genre known as writing sheets, writing blanks, penmanship exercises, letter sheets or school pieces, published in Britain from the 1660s to 1860s and used by students to demonstrate their handwriting abilities. This example never used. While the publisher dated this print 1806, the paper is watermarked 1815, demonstrating that the printing plate was used over a long period.
Artwork Details
- Title: "The Entertaining History of Little Jack" [School piece or Penmanship sheet]
- Artist: After John Bewick (British, Eltringham, Northumberland baptised 1760–1795 Ovingham, Northumberland)
- Publisher: Laurie & Whittle (British, active 1794–1836)
- Author: Related author Thomas Day (British, London 1748–1789 Berkshire)
- Date: November 10, 1806
- Medium: Etching and engraving; late impression
- Dimensions: Plate: 17 1/8 × 13 1/4 in. (43.5 × 33.7 cm)
Sheet: 17 13/16 × 13 3/4 in. (45.3 × 34.9 cm) - Classification: Prints
- Credit Line: The Elisha Whittelsey Collection, The Elisha Whittelsey Fund, 1964
- Object Number: 64.501.21
- Curatorial Department: Drawings and Prints
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