William Bunbury, engraved by James Bretherton
College Fun or Quizzing the Proctor
Hand coloured engraving
27 x 34 cm
c.1790
In this playful scene, a proctor--garnering a powdered wig and academic dress--is reading a public proclamation regarding a 'general fast.' Unbeknownst to him, a mischievous student is pinning a satirical note on his back. The note mocks the proctor's authority, reading, "From all Pride, Vanity, Glory and Hypocrisy, Good Lord Deliver us." Meanwhile, two other students, dressed in academic gowns and mortarboards, stand to the left, laughing and gesturing at the proctor, clearly enjoying the other student's prank.
This caricatural scene dates from the late 18th century, a period when William Bunbury, alongside James Gillray, Thomas Rowlandson, and Isaac Cruikshank...
Category
1790s Realist Figurative Prints