ticketsMember | Make a donation

Humming-birds–or–a Dandy Trio

Etcher George Cruikshank British
After John Sheringham British
Publisher George Humphrey British
July 15, 1819
Not on view
George Cruikshank etched this social satire after a design by the amateur artist John Sheringham. It shows three fashionable dandies in a well-furnished interior, with the man at left seated in a small lyre-backed chair, one leg propped up as he sings. He leans towards a second musician who reclines on a Regency style sofa and plays an ornate lute-like instrument while a third stands behind the sofa, looks at himself in the glass over an ornate fireplace and plays a flageolet. The singer's open music-book reads "Love has eyes," while books on the floor are titled "The Lovesick Swain Set to Music" and "Our Warbling Notes and Ivory Lutes Shall Ravish Every Ear." Portraits on the wall include a man and a woman in Van Dyck costume and to images that offer mildly critical commentary with that at left labeled "Vacuna," showing a goddess of rural leisure lying under a tree and the other representing "Narcissus" admiring his own reflection. On one end of the sofa, a poodle suckles her puppies.

Artwork Details

Object Information
  • Title: Humming-birds–or–a Dandy Trio
  • Etcher: George Cruikshank (British, London 1792–1878 London)
  • Artist: After John Sheringham (British, active 1819–25)
  • Publisher: George Humphrey (British, 1773?–1831?)
  • Date: July 15, 1819
  • Medium: Hand-colored etching
  • Dimensions: Plate: 9 5/8 × 13 7/8 in. (24.4 × 35.2 cm)
    Sheet: 10 13/16 × 14 11/16 in. (27.5 × 37.3 cm)
  • Classification: Prints
  • Credit Line: Gift of Jill Spalding, 2022
  • Object Number: 2022.309.35
  • Curatorial Department: Drawings and Prints

More Artwork

More Artwork
A slider containing 5 items.
Press the down key to skip to the last item.
George Cruikshank's Omnibus
George Cruikshank
George Bell & Sons
1885
Punch and Judy, with Illustrations Drawn and Engraved by George Cruikshank: Accompanied by the Dialogue of the Puppet-Show, an Account of Its Origin, and of Puppet-Plays in England
Multiple artists/makers
1828
Phrenological Illustrations, or An Artist's View of Craniological System of Doctors Gall and Spurzheim
George Cruikshank
Frederick Arnold
1873
John Bull's Examination–John Bull brought up for his Discharge but Remanded on account of Extravagence and False Schedule
George Cruikshank
S. W. Fores
1817
George Cruikshank's Omnibus
Multiple artists/makers
1885

Research Resources

The Met provides unparalleled resources for research and welcomes an international community of students and scholars. The Met's Open Access API is where creators and researchers can connect to the The Met collection. Open Access data and public domain images are available for unrestricted commercial and noncommercial use without permission or fee.

To request images under copyright and other restrictions, please use this Image Request form.

Feedback

We continue to research and examine historical and cultural context for objects in The Met collection. If you have comments or questions about this object record, please complete and submit this form. The Museum looks forward to receiving your comments.