{"meta":{"version":"2.1","_links":{"self":{"href":"https://api.vam.ac.uk/v2/object/O738091"},"collection_page":{"href":"https://collections.vam.ac.uk/item/O738091/"}},"images":{"_primary_thumbnail":"https://framemark.vam.ac.uk/collections/2025PJ2090/full/!100,100/0/default.jpg","_iiif_image":"https://framemark.vam.ac.uk/collections/2025PJ2090/","_alt_iiif_image":[],"imageResolution":"high","_images_meta":[{"assetRef":"2025PJ2090","copyright":"© Victoria and Albert Museum, London","sensitiveImage":false},{"assetRef":"2025PJ2092","copyright":"© Victoria and Albert Museum, London","sensitiveImage":false},{"assetRef":"2006BC7656","copyright":"© Victoria and Albert Museum, London","sensitiveImage":false}]},"see_also":{"_iiif_pres":"https://iiif.vam.ac.uk/collections/O738091/manifest.json","_alt_iiif_pres":[]}},"record":{"systemNumber":"O738091","accessionNumber":"E.437-1935","objectType":"Printing Plate","titles":[{"title":"A Peep into LADY W'''''Y'S Seraglio","type":"assigned by artist"},{"title":"APOTHECARIES_TAYLORS, &c. Conquering FRANCE and SPAIN","type":"assigned by artist"}],"summaryDescription":"This plate shows the drawn qualities of the technique of etching. James Gillray (1756–1815) – one of Britain’s foremost caricaturists – even wrote the words in the speech bubbles (in mirror writing). The diagonal text has been line-engraved and shows the difference between the two techniques, being more precise. Etching was a perfect medium for creating caricatures, which had to be made quickly as they were topical, reflecting the day’s news. The subject of this image is Lady Worsley, who in November 1781 had eloped with a Captain George Bissett, who was then sued by her husband Sir Richard Worsley. Some of Lady Worsley’s 27 lovers testified in the court case. \r\nThe plate is double-sided, with an earlier caricature featuring on the back just about visible, revealing the thrift of the artist. Being topical, these images would not have been printed for long and copper plates were the most expensive part of an etcher’s outlay.","physicalDescription":"A double-sided etched printer's copper plate; Showing: \r\n'A Peep into LADY W'''''Y'S Seraglio'; A satirical cartoon of a group of men on a stairway, queuing to peep through a wall to look at a woman and her lover in bed, the husband being cuckolded. Each man in contemporaneous costume, with hats and wigs. Featuring speech bubbles (in English) with satirical comment, all seen in reverse. \r\n\r\n‘APOTHECARIES_TAYLORS, &c. Conquering FRANCE and SPAIN’; A satirical cartoon of drunken men dining at a table, with a dog jumping up at it. With speech bubbles (in English).","artistMakerPerson":[{"name":{"text":"Gillray, James","id":"A13435"},"association":{"text":"etcher","id":"AAT25174"},"note":""},{"name":{"text":"Humphrey, W.","id":"A31628"},"association":{"text":"publisher","id":"x32600"},"note":""}],"artistMakerOrganisations":[],"artistMakerPeople":[],"materials":[{"text":"copper","id":"AAT11020"}],"techniques":[{"text":"etching (printing process)","id":"AAT53241"}],"materialsAndTechniques":"etched copper printing plate","categories":[{"text":"Prints","id":"THES48903"},{"text":"Tools & Equipment","id":"THES48883"},{"text":"Caricatures & Cartoons","id":"THES48983"},{"text":"Printmaking techniques","id":"THES252987"}],"styles":[],"collectionCode":{"text":"PDP","id":"THES48595"},"images":["2025PJ2090","2025PJ2092","2006BC7656"],"imageResolution":"high","galleryLocations":[{"current":{"text":"LVLF","id":"THES49656"},"free":"","case":"EDUC","shelf":"9","box":"F"}],"partTypes":[[{"text":"printing plate","id":""}]],"contentWarnings":[{"apprise":"","note":""}],"placesOfOrigin":[{"place":{"text":"England","id":"x28826"},"association":{"text":"etched","id":"x37737"},"note":""},{"place":{"text":"England","id":"x28826"},"association":{"text":"published","id":"x30682"},"note":""}],"productionDates":[{"date":{"text":"1779-1782","earliest":"1779-01-01","latest":"1782-12-31"},"association":{"text":"etched","id":"x37737"},"note":"Apothecaries published in 1779 and Peep published 1782"},{"date":{"text":"19/04/1782","earliest":"1782-04-19","latest":"1782-04-19"},"association":{"text":"published","id":"x30682"},"note":""}],"associatedObjects":[{"object":{"text":"E.438-1935","id":"O738090"},"association":"Version"}],"creditLine":"Given by Mr C. H. Perry","dimensions":[{"dimension":"Height","value":"26.5","unit":"cm","qualifier":"","date":{"text":"","earliest":null,"latest":null},"part":"","note":""},{"dimension":"Width","value":"37.2","unit":"cm","qualifier":"","date":{"text":"","earliest":null,"latest":null},"part":"","note":""},{"dimension":"Depth","value":"1","unit":"mm","qualifier":"max","date":{"text":"","earliest":null,"latest":null},"part":"plate thickness","note":""},{"dimension":"Depth","value":"7","unit":"mm","qualifier":"max","date":{"text":"","earliest":null,"latest":null},"part":"plate bent in one corner to depth","note":""}],"dimensionsNote":"Measured by DH 29/03/2010.","marksAndInscriptions":[{"content":"'A Peep into LADY W'''''Y'S Seraglio'","inscriber":{"name":{"text":"","id":""},"association":{"text":"","id":""}},"date":{"text":"","earliest":null,"latest":null},"description":"","interpretation":"","language":"","medium":"","method":"","position":"","script":"","translation":"","transliteration":"","type":"","note":"Titled, below image."},{"content":"'APOTHECARIES_TAYLORS, &c. Conquering FRANCE and SPAIN'","inscriber":{"name":{"text":"","id":""},"association":{"text":"","id":""}},"date":{"text":"","earliest":null,"latest":null},"description":"","interpretation":"","language":"","medium":"","method":"","position":"","script":"","translation":"","transliteration":"","type":"","note":"Titled (on the opposite side), below image."},{"content":"Also numerous speech bubbles (in English).","inscriber":{"name":{"text":"","id":""},"association":{"text":"","id":""}},"date":{"text":"","earliest":null,"latest":null},"description":"","interpretation":"","language":"","medium":"","method":"","position":"","script":"","translation":"","transliteration":"","type":"","note":""},{"content":"\"One Lover to another still succeeds, Another & another after that,_And the last Fool is welcome as the former; Till having lov'd his hour out he gives place, And mingles with the herd that went before him.\" Rowe's Fair Penitent.","inscriber":{"name":{"text":"","id":""},"association":{"text":"","id":""}},"date":{"text":"","earliest":null,"latest":null},"description":"","interpretation":"","language":"","medium":"","method":"","position":"","script":"","translation":"","transliteration":"","type":"","note":"Appears along on the outside of the stairs on 'A Peep into LADY W'''''Y'S Seraglio'"},{"content":"'Hark!_ my Times very nigh'\r\n'Then do pray be quick'\r\n\r\n'Tish my turn to be sure You, Shar'\n'You Lie S.r__damme'\n\n'Yo_ iks_hark forward belw there--'\n\n'Yough__ough'\n\n'Bless me! When will my Turn come'\n\n'Oh Zounds, my Turn'll never come'\n'Ha! Ha Ha the Devil take the hindmost, say I'\n","inscriber":{"name":{"text":"","id":""},"association":{"text":"","id":""}},"date":{"text":"","earliest":null,"latest":null},"description":"","interpretation":"","language":"","medium":"","method":"","position":"","script":"","translation":"","transliteration":"","type":"","note":"Speech bubbles of figures waiting on the stairs on 'A Peep into LADY W'''''Y'S Seraglio'"},{"content":"'Give me all thou canst and let me dream the rest.'\r\n\r\n'O dear, I believe it's all over with me!'","inscriber":{"name":{"text":"","id":""},"association":{"text":"","id":""}},"date":{"text":"","earliest":null,"latest":null},"description":"","interpretation":"","language":"","medium":"","method":"","position":"","script":"","translation":"","transliteration":"","type":"","note":"Speech bubbles of figures behind the closed door on 'A Peep into LADY W'''''Y'S Seraglio'"}],"objectHistory":"","historicalContext":"","briefDescription":"Double-sided etched copper plate. James Gillray, published by W. Humphrey. A Peep into LADY W'''''Y'S Seraglio, and on the back, APOTHECARIES_TAYLORS, &c. Conquering FRANCE and SPAIN, 1782 & 1779 respectively","bibliographicReferences":[],"production":"","productionType":{"text":"","id":""},"contentDescription":"","contentPlaces":[],"associatedPlaces":[],"contentPerson":[],"associatedPerson":[],"contentOrganisations":[],"associatedOrganisations":[],"contentPeople":[],"associatedPeople":[],"contentEvents":[],"associatedEvents":[],"contentOthers":[{"text":"Georgian","id":"AAT21048"},{"text":"bedroom","id":"AAT4364"},{"text":"hat","id":"AAT46106"},{"text":"lover","id":"AAT188621"},{"text":"men","id":"AAT25928"},{"text":"cuckold","id":"x45702"},{"text":"woman","id":"x35642"},{"text":"table","id":"AAT39548"},{"text":"dog","id":"x34865"}],"contentConcepts":[{"text":"satire","id":"AAT55934"},{"text":"love","id":"AAT55165"},{"text":"spying","id":"x36324"}],"contentLiteraryRefs":[],"galleryLabels":[],"partNumbers":["E.437-1935"],"accessionNumberNum":"437","accessionNumberPrefix":"E","accessionYear":1935,"otherNumbers":[],"copyNumber":"","aspects":["WHOLE"],"assets":[],"recordModificationDate":"2025-11-03","recordCreationDate":"2009-06-30","availableToBook":false}}