{"meta":{"version":"2.1","_links":{"self":{"href":"https://api.vam.ac.uk/v2/object/O1110678"},"collection_page":{"href":"https://collections.vam.ac.uk/item/O1110678/"}},"images":{"_primary_thumbnail":"https://framemark.vam.ac.uk/collections/2015HJ4676/full/!100,100/0/default.jpg","_iiif_image":"https://framemark.vam.ac.uk/collections/2015HJ4676/","_alt_iiif_image":[],"imageResolution":"high","_images_meta":[{"assetRef":"2015HJ4676","copyright":"©Victoria and Albert Museum, London","sensitiveImage":false}]},"see_also":{"_iiif_pres":"https://iiif.vam.ac.uk/collections/O1110678/manifest.json","_alt_iiif_pres":[]}},"record":{"systemNumber":"O1110678","accessionNumber":"E.978-1970","objectType":"Print","titles":[{"title":"The Answer. An heiroglyphic poetical epistle.","type":"published title"}],"summaryDescription":"A rebus is puzzle in which words or phrases are represented by combinations of pictures, symbols and individual letters. This form of puzzle was popular across media and required the reader to decipher the code to make meaning from the text. Rebuses containing personal satire, love and romance were particularly popular in the 17th to 19th centuries amongst elite circles. They were used for parlour games, and required varying degrees of skill and literacy to be able to decipher them. Robert Laurie (1755–1836) and James Whittle (1757–1818) were former assistants of Robert Sayer who took over his major London print publishing business in 1794. They published under 'Laurie & Whittle' until Robert Laurie retired in 1812.\n\nThis rebus takes the form of a fictional letter with etched and hand-coloured pictograms, published by  Laurie & Whittle. It is the companion print to one titled 'A Hieroglyphic Epistle' which takes the form of a 'question'; a letter from a Mr Maccaroni to a 'modern fine lady' attempting to court her. The fictitious 'Maccaroni' was a popular generic term for an English dandy of the Regency period. An impression of this print is in the Metropolitan Museum of Art (1981.1136.89). In his letter 'Maccaroni' describes a series of unfortunate events he has endured in his attempt to court her. The 'answer' confirms her eligibility as a suitable romantic partner although she lets down her suitor gently.","physicalDescription":"A printed rebus in the form of a letter on paper with two small hand-coloured portraits of a man and woman at the top of the page, and small coloured symbols combined with words and letters","artistMakerPerson":[],"artistMakerOrganisations":[{"name":{"text":"Laurie & Whittle","id":"A28570"},"association":{"text":"publisher","id":"x32600"},"note":""}],"artistMakerPeople":[],"materials":[{"text":"printing ink","id":"AAT187371"},{"text":"paper (fiber product)","id":"AAT14109"},{"text":"watercolour (paint)","id":"AAT15045"}],"techniques":[{"text":"etching","id":"AAT53241"},{"text":"hand-colouring","id":"AAT133555"}],"materialsAndTechniques":"hand-coloured etching on paper","categories":[{"text":"Romance","id":"THES253023"},{"text":"Satire","id":"THES250449"}],"styles":[],"collectionCode":{"text":"PDP","id":"THES48595"},"images":["2015HJ4676"],"imageResolution":"high","galleryLocations":[{"current":{"text":"LVLC","id":"THES49171"},"free":"","case":"GG","shelf":"75","box":"D"}],"partTypes":[[{"text":"Caricature","id":"x32507"}]],"contentWarnings":[{"apprise":"","note":""}],"placesOfOrigin":[],"productionDates":[{"date":{"text":"1799","earliest":"1799-01-01","latest":"1799-12-31"},"association":{"text":"first published","id":"x46563"},"note":""},{"date":{"text":"1814","earliest":"1814-01-01","latest":"1814-12-31"},"association":{"text":"published","id":"x30682"},"note":""}],"associatedObjects":[],"creditLine":"","dimensions":[],"dimensionsNote":"","marksAndInscriptions":[{"content":"","inscriber":{"name":{"text":"","id":""},"association":{"text":"","id":""}},"date":{"text":"","earliest":null,"latest":null},"description":"","interpretation":"","language":"","medium":"","method":"","position":"","script":"","translation":"The Answer: An Hieroglyphic Poetical Epistle From a lady to a gentleman:\r\nSir, With so much elegance ewer[you’re] pen yew hold\r\nI’ll not/nut condemn yew tho’ ewer rather bold\r\nYew see I do not drive you toe des-pear\r\nButt begg yew’ll build no castle in the air\r\nI’m sharp enough ewer flatterye toe des-pies\r\nSo prays no more my locks, cheeks, lips and eyes\r\nThat cupid’s revel in my locks yew say\r\nBut mean tis in my riches(?) that they play\r\nThat in my face the blushing roses blow\r\nButt in my garden(?) yew sewerly mean they grow \r\nMy lips are cherries(?) butt grate sir yew’ll find\r\nWithin my orchard[?] those of better kind \r\nMy eyes yew say like glittering stars appear\r\nMi diamonds are the stars yew mean I fear\r\nForbear toe pen such lines if ewer a man\r\nAnd let plane truth in future bee ewer plan\r\nI remain grate sir ewer humble servant \r\nAss far ass a lady sho[e]uld bee fanny? top? Not/nut [could her assumed name be Fanny Topknot?]\r\nPost script: Pen no more lines as those beefore\r\nbutt flatter not I’ll like yew more","transliteration":"","type":"","note":""}],"objectHistory":"","historicalContext":"","briefDescription":"'The Answer. An hieroglyphic poetical epistle.', a ficticious answer to an amorous letter in the form of a rebus, anonymous caricature first published in 1799 by Laurie & Whittle, London, hand-coloured etching, re-issued 1814","bibliographicReferences":[],"production":"","productionType":{"text":"","id":""},"contentDescription":"","contentPlaces":[],"associatedPlaces":[],"contentPerson":[],"associatedPerson":[],"contentOrganisations":[],"associatedOrganisations":[],"contentPeople":[],"associatedPeople":[],"contentEvents":[],"associatedEvents":[],"contentOthers":[{"text":"romances","id":"AAT191065"},{"text":"","id":""}],"contentConcepts":[{"text":"secrecy","id":"AAT257050"}],"contentLiteraryRefs":[],"galleryLabels":[],"partNumbers":["E.978-1970"],"accessionNumberNum":"978","accessionNumberPrefix":"E","accessionYear":1970,"otherNumbers":[],"copyNumber":"","aspects":["WHOLE"],"assets":[],"recordModificationDate":"2026-04-14","recordCreationDate":"2009-07-01","availableToBook":false}}