FDA-V.20-2016
Parts
Object number
FDA-V.20-2016
Object type
Identification
Title
Eton Sketch'd: A Series of Designs, Illustrative of an Eton Life, As it was in My Time
Eton Sketched: A Series of Designs Illustrative of an Eton Life
Eton Sketched: A Series of Designs Illustrative of an Eton Life
Title Type
assigned by artist
assigned by artist
assigned by artist
Description
Album of etchings of Eton scenes. 33 leaves, numbered in pencil with page numbers top right corner
Comments
The subtitle of these bound etchings is: A series of designs, illustrative of an Eton life, as it was in my time. However, the identity of the artist, who offers only 'Quis?' ('Who?') as his name, remains elusive. The etchings offer a comprehensive and personal account of the experience of joining the school as a boy, which seems remarkably relevant to Eton life today.
A brief text accompanies each illustration. For this example, the text explains the action as: 'the Ensign flourishes the flag on the top of the little mound called Salt-hill.' This aspect of the Montem ceremony was clearly performed with some theatricality.
Collectively titled 'Eton Sketch’d', this series of etchings were published under the pseudonym ‘Quis’ in 1841. They show life for an Eton boy during the 1830s. One of the bound copies of this series in the Eton College Collections tantalisingly gives us the initials of the artist as ‘E.M.’.
Plate 4 of the series of etchings shows Eton's Fouth of June celebrations. At these celebrations, after the Procession of Boats, boys who had crewed boats enjoyed a supper at the final destination: a field on the riverbank, close to the Surley Hall Inn. It seems the supper was a raucous event. Each boat had a ‘sitter’, generally an Old Etonian, who travelled at the stern and later provided the crew with a hamper of champagne. In this etching the ‘sitter’ stands to the left of this scene, with his long coat and tall top hat; the hamper of champagne by his side. All around the table, other boys scavenge what they can.
A brief text accompanies each illustration. For this example, the text explains the action as: 'the Ensign flourishes the flag on the top of the little mound called Salt-hill.' This aspect of the Montem ceremony was clearly performed with some theatricality.
Collectively titled 'Eton Sketch’d', this series of etchings were published under the pseudonym ‘Quis’ in 1841. They show life for an Eton boy during the 1830s. One of the bound copies of this series in the Eton College Collections tantalisingly gives us the initials of the artist as ‘E.M.’.
Plate 4 of the series of etchings shows Eton's Fouth of June celebrations. At these celebrations, after the Procession of Boats, boys who had crewed boats enjoyed a supper at the final destination: a field on the riverbank, close to the Surley Hall Inn. It seems the supper was a raucous event. Each boat had a ‘sitter’, generally an Old Etonian, who travelled at the stern and later provided the crew with a hamper of champagne. In this etching the ‘sitter’ stands to the left of this scene, with his long coat and tall top hat; the hamper of champagne by his side. All around the table, other boys scavenge what they can.
Other number
047
Description
Content (note)
Inside front cover: Book label and Eton School Library book plate
p. 1 flyleaf, blank
p. 2 etching, title page
pp. 3-4 descriptive text
pp. 5-20 etched Eton scenes
p. 21 decsriptive text
pp. 22-25 etched Eton scenes
p. 26 descriptive text
pp. 27-31 etched Eton scenes
p. 32 descriptive text
p. 33 flyleaf, blank
p. 1 flyleaf, blank
p. 2 etching, title page
pp. 3-4 descriptive text
pp. 5-20 etched Eton scenes
p. 21 decsriptive text
pp. 22-25 etched Eton scenes
p. 26 descriptive text
pp. 27-31 etched Eton scenes
p. 32 descriptive text
p. 33 flyleaf, blank
Inscription
Front cover, in gold lettering: 'Eton Sketched'
On book label, inside front cover: 'Presented by / The Reverend / E. G. Hobhouse'
Text plates with the the following headings:
'PREFACE
ETON SKETCHED
PLATE 1. THE ARRIVAL
PLATE 2. FIRST INTERVIEW WITH MY DAME
PLATE 3. INTRODUCTION TO MY DAME'S FELLOWS
PLATE 4. "BED TIME"
No. 4
EPOCH 2: THE FOURTH FORM
PLATE 5. THE CONSTRUE
PLATE 6. 11 O'CLOCK SCHOOL
PLATE 7. MY TUTOR'S PUPIL ROOM
PLATE 8. LOCK UP - ABSENCE IN MY DAME'S
No. 5
EPOCH 3: THE REMOVE
PLATE 1. MAP MORNING
PLATE 2. TOWING UP TO SURLEY
PLATE 3. THREE O'CLOCK SCHOOL
PLATE 4. POET'S WALK
No. 8
PLATE 1. AFTER TWELVES AND AFTER FOURS
PLATE 2. CELLAR
PLATE 3. MONTEM
PLATE 4. FOURTH OF JUNE'
On book label, inside front cover: 'Presented by / The Reverend / E. G. Hobhouse'
Text plates with the the following headings:
'PREFACE
ETON SKETCHED
PLATE 1. THE ARRIVAL
PLATE 2. FIRST INTERVIEW WITH MY DAME
PLATE 3. INTRODUCTION TO MY DAME'S FELLOWS
PLATE 4. "BED TIME"
No. 4
EPOCH 2: THE FOURTH FORM
PLATE 5. THE CONSTRUE
PLATE 6. 11 O'CLOCK SCHOOL
PLATE 7. MY TUTOR'S PUPIL ROOM
PLATE 8. LOCK UP - ABSENCE IN MY DAME'S
No. 5
EPOCH 3: THE REMOVE
PLATE 1. MAP MORNING
PLATE 2. TOWING UP TO SURLEY
PLATE 3. THREE O'CLOCK SCHOOL
PLATE 4. POET'S WALK
No. 8
PLATE 1. AFTER TWELVES AND AFTER FOURS
PLATE 2. CELLAR
PLATE 3. MONTEM
PLATE 4. FOURTH OF JUNE'
Physical description
Red boards with gold lettering on cover
Production
Person
'Quis?' [E.M.] (Artist)
Organisation
James Wyatt and Son (Publisher)
Date
1841
