The ear-wig, or, An old woman's remarks on the present exhibition of pictures of the Royal Academy : preceded by a petit mot pour rire, instead of a preface : including anecdotes of characters well known amongst the painters, observations on the causes of the decline of the arts, a description of the buildings of Somerset House, and the apartments occupied by the Royal Academy. Dedicated to Sir Joshua Reynolds, R.A.

RA Collection: Book

Record number

14/4220

Variant Title

The earwig, or, An old woman's remarks on the present exhibition of pictures of the Royal Academy

Imprint

London: Printed for G. Kearsley, (no. 46,) Fleet-Street, MDCCLXXXI

Physical Description

vii, [1], 23, [1] pages ; 25 cm.

General Note

At foot of front cover: `Entered at Stationers’-Hall'
James Hughes Anderdon (1790-1879) and William W. Whitley (1858-1942) have both suggested that the author of The Ear-Wig was the artist Mauritius Lowe (1746-1793), but this remains unconfirmed. See:

RA Archives: AND/4/147.

William T. Whitley, Thomas Gainsborough. London: Smith, Elder & Co. 1915, p.175-76

References

Summary Note

The introduction (or petit mot pour rire) contains disparaging anecdotes about two painters, one being Johann Zoffany RA. This if followed by generally unflattering reviews of a selection of the works in the 1781 RA annual exhibition. An addenda gives an assessment of the new quarters of the Royal Academy at New Somerset House, where it moved in 1780.

Reproductions

A digitised copy of the 1781 RA annual exhibition catalogue, the subject of this review, can be viewed here: https://www.royalacademy.org.uk/art-artists/exhibition-catalogue/ra-sec-vol13-1781

Name as Subject

Subject

Painting, Modern 18th century Great Britain ; Exhibitions.
Royal Academy of Arts annual exhibition (13th : 1781 : London)

Contributors