Clive A. Burden LTD. Rare Maps, Antique Atlases, Books and Decorative Prints

The Mapping of North America

Mr. Philip D. Burden​
P.O. Box 863,
Chalfont St. Giles, Bucks HP6 9HD,
UNITED KINGDOM
Tel: +44 (0) 1494 76 33 13
Email: enquiries@caburden.com

This is a desirable caricature map of Scotland by Robert Dighton (1752-1814), a well known eighteenth century painter of portraits and caricatures. Initially he often worked anonymously for Carington Bowles. In the 1790s his series of caricature portraits earned him praise. He achieved notoriety however when he took some Rembrandt engravings from the British Museum and replaced them with copies. They were all located in his rooms and returned. The date of issue is unknown but the first catalogue in which they appear is dated to 1795. It was advertised at 6d plain or 1s coloured as here. Scotland is depicted as a hunchback clown sitting on a cushion. No specific reason has been identified for the depiction and they were merely intended for amusement. Feaver (1988) p. 60; Fleet, Wilkes and Withers p. 283; Hill (1978) pp. 44-5; Mackenzie (1998) p. 143.
DIGHTON, Robert

Geography Bewitched! or, a droll Caricature Map of Scotland

Bowles & Carver No. 69 St Paul's Church Yard, London, c.1795
205 x 170 mm., early wash colour, in good condition.
Stock number: 5971

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