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Trompe l'oeil [Punch and Judy].

circa 1830

About the Item

Trompe l'oeil. [Punch and Judy]. Watercolor and drawing, undated, circa 1830. Paper size 10.25 x 14" (26.1 x 35.6 cm). On "J. Whatman" watermarked paper. Unidentified artist. A 19th-century visual montage of Cruikshank's "Punch & Judy." The images are taken from the book "The Tragical Comedy, or Comical Tragedy of Punch and Judy." As told to John Payne Collier by Giovanni in 1827, illustrated by George Cruikshank and published by S. Prowlett, London 1828. The central circle illustrates a drawing showing two allegorical female figures with two putti. The text under this image: “E Musao Hugonis Howard Armig, from Guercino.” On top of that illustration is a handsome painting of a flintlock pistol. Trompe l’oeil is an art of illustration – the name translates to ‘Trick of the Eye.” The puppet show of Pulcinella or Punch and Judy has a long and fascinating history. “A puppet play that would have featured a version of Punch was first recorded in England in May 1662 by the diarist Samuel Pepys. He noted seeing it in Covent Garden, London, performed by the Italian puppet showman Pietro Gimonde from Bologna, otherwise known as Signor Bologna. The earliest script of a Punch and Judy show dates from 1827 when the journalist John Payne Collier recorded the script of a performance by Piccini, the 82-year old Italian Punchman who had worked in London since he arrived in 1779. At the same time, the British caricaturist George Cruikshank produced sketches of the various scenes, noting that the script was: "a faithful copy and description of the various scenes represented by this Italian, whose performance of Punch was far superior in every respect to anything of the sort to be seen in the present day". Punch historians have doubted the accuracy of the script, but the illustrations vividly recreate the action and characters, many of which we know today.” – Victoria & Albert Museum
  • Creation Year:
    circa 1830
  • Dimensions:
    Height: 10.25 in (26.04 cm)Width: 14 in (35.56 cm)Depth: 0.98 in (2.49 cm)
  • Medium:
  • Movement & Style:
  • After:
    George Cruikshank (1792 - 1878, British)
  • Period:
  • Framing:
    Framing Options Available
  • Condition:
    Good to excellent. Some minor smudging mostly near the paper edges. This piece also has some illustrations (different subject) on the paper verso.
  • Gallery Location:
    New York, NY
  • Reference Number:
    1stDibs: LU33128036392

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