{"meta":{"version":"2.1","_links":{"self":{"href":"https://api.vam.ac.uk/v2/object/O1160223"},"collection_page":{"href":"https://collections.vam.ac.uk/item/O1160223/"}},"images":{"_primary_thumbnail":"https://framemark.vam.ac.uk/collections/2011ER8945/full/!100,100/0/default.jpg","_iiif_image":"https://framemark.vam.ac.uk/collections/2011ER8945/","_alt_iiif_image":[],"imageResolution":"high","_images_meta":[{"assetRef":"2011ER8945","copyright":"© Victoria and Albert Museum, London","sensitiveImage":false}]},"see_also":{"_iiif_pres":"https://iiif.vam.ac.uk/collections/O1160223/manifest.json","_alt_iiif_pres":[]}},"record":{"systemNumber":"O1160223","accessionNumber":"S.1049-2010","objectType":"Print","titles":[{"title":"George Speaight Punch & Judy Collection","type":"named collection"}],"summaryDescription":"This black and white engraving is entitled <i>The Wire Master and his Puppets</i> it shows a wooden platform on which a group of men from various professions (amongst them a kneeling clergy men, a man on crutches and a judge) are manipulated by the wire attached their heads. These wires are being controlled by a larger man dressed in a cap and cross hatched (perhaps harlequin) jacket. To the left of the stage a creature that might be a mouse of a hedgehog urges 'A little more to the left, my lord' whilst at the back left the weeping figure of Britannia declare 'It is sport to you, but Death to me'. Beneath the stage a winged devil grasps a pole. The spectators surrounding him seem unaware of his presence and are gossiping amongst themselves, some gesturing towards the action on the stage.\r\n\r\nAlthough the print is not dated the dress of the figures both on and off the stage resembles clothing fashionable in the early to mid eighteenth century.\r\nBelow the engraving is an extract from Johnathan Swift's (1667-1745) poem,<i>The Puppet Master</i>. It has been slightly modified from the original:\r\n\"Others are blindly led away,\r\nAnd made to act for ends unknown,\r\nBy the mere spring of wires they play,\r\nAnd speak in language not their own.\" \r\n\r\nTo read:\r\n\"The Puppets blindly led away\r\nAre made to act for ends unknown\".\r\n\r\nThe engraving is part of the George Speaight Punch & Judy Collection.","physicalDescription":"A black and white engraving entitled <i>The Wire Master and his Puppets</i> it shows a wooden platform on which a group of men from various professions (amongst them a kneeling clergy men, a man on crutches and a judge) are manipulated by the wire attached their heads. These wires are being controlled by a larger man dressed in a cap and cross hatched (perhaps a harlequin) jacket. To the left of the stage a creature that might be a mouse of a hedgehog urges 'A little more to the left, my lord' whilst at the back left the weeping figure of Britannia declare 'It is sport to you, but Death to me'. Beneath the stage a winged devil grasps a pole. The spectators surrounding him seem unaware of his presence and are gossiping amongst themselves, some gesturing towards the action on the stage.","artistMakerPerson":[{"name":{"text":"unknown","id":"A1848"},"association":{"text":"artist","id":"AAT25103"},"note":""}],"artistMakerOrganisations":[],"artistMakerPeople":[],"materials":[{"text":"printing ink","id":"AAT187371"},{"text":"paper","id":"x30308"}],"techniques":[{"text":"printing","id":"AAT53319"}],"materialsAndTechniques":"printing ink on paper","categories":[{"text":"Entertainment & Leisure","id":"THES48959"}],"styles":[],"collectionCode":{"text":"T&P","id":"THES48602"},"images":["2011ER8945"],"imageResolution":"high","galleryLocations":[{"current":{"text":"001","id":"THES351363"},"free":"","case":"","shelf":"","box":""}],"partTypes":[[{"text":"prints","id":"AAT41273"}],[{"text":"engravings","id":"AAT41340"}]],"contentWarnings":[{"apprise":"","note":""}],"placesOfOrigin":[{"place":{"text":"London","id":"x28980"},"association":{"text":"printed","id":"AAT53319"},"note":"probably"}],"productionDates":[{"date":{"text":"ca mid eighteenth century","earliest":"1725-01-01","latest":"1775-12-31"},"association":{"text":"printed","id":"AAT53319"},"note":""}],"associatedObjects":[],"creditLine":"Accepted by HM Government in Lieu of Inheritance Tax and allocated to the V&A in 2010.","dimensions":[{"dimension":"Height","value":"21.1","unit":"cm","qualifier":"","date":{"text":"","earliest":null,"latest":null},"part":"","note":""},{"dimension":"Width","value":"12.8","unit":"cm","qualifier":"","date":{"text":"","earliest":null,"latest":null},"part":"","note":""}],"dimensionsNote":"","marksAndInscriptions":[],"objectHistory":"","historicalContext":"","briefDescription":"A black and white engraving entitled <i>The Wire Master and his Puppets</i>, artist unknown. Ca. mid eighteenth century. George Speaight Punch & Judy Collection","bibliographicReferences":[],"production":"","productionType":{"text":"","id":""},"contentDescription":"","contentPlaces":[],"associatedPlaces":[],"contentPerson":[],"associatedPerson":[],"contentOrganisations":[],"associatedOrganisations":[],"contentPeople":[],"associatedPeople":[],"contentEvents":[],"associatedEvents":[],"contentOthers":[],"contentConcepts":[],"contentLiteraryRefs":[],"galleryLabels":[],"partNumbers":["S.1049-2010"],"accessionNumberNum":"1049","accessionNumberPrefix":"S","accessionYear":2010,"otherNumbers":[{"type":{"text":"","id":""},"number":"Political Puppet Cartoons File"}],"copyNumber":"","aspects":["WHOLE"],"assets":[],"recordModificationDate":"2026-09-01","recordCreationDate":"2010-06-22","availableToBook":true}}