Print of the Day: Four Punchinellos Embracing a Female

Four Punchinellos Embracing a Female
Reproduction, 1953 of an original by Giovanni Battista Tiepolo
The Harry Beard Collection at:
The Victoria & Albert Museum

We have looked at two drawings by Giovanni Battista Tiepolo which dated to 1751. These drawings depicted one of Tiepolo’s favorite subjects—Punchinello. To be exact…Punchinellos, many, hump-backed Punchinellos up to no good.

Here, dating to 1953 (the year of the coronation of Queen Elizabeth II who celebrates her Diamond Jubilee in coming days), we see a reproduction of a pen and grey wash image in which four Punchinellos are embracing a female. Clearly this is a reproduction of one of the Eighteenth Century words of Tiepolo.

All of the plucky Punchinellos are dressed identically in tall, conical hats and loose fitting tunics and trousers which are belted at the waist. The object of their ominous affections wears an equally tall hat trimmed with lace at the brim and a loose belted dress with collar. 


We all know how much I like Punchinellos. Many live here with me. However, I don’t really think I’d like to be embraced by them. No. In fact, I know that I would not.

Object of the Day: Rubber Baby Punch Puppet or “Put Your Hand Inside the Puppet Head”

As you might have guessed, this isn’t the usual North Texas household. We have a lot of interesting things here. Between the fact that families of doves have made nests above the columns of the front porch, the fact that the Bertie Dog is in control of the running of the property and the fact that I’ve elected Mr. Punch as “Mayor” of “The Dovecote,” (formally known as “Thornfield,” it’s safe to say that ours is unlike other homes in this historical district. 

Recently, I made an eBay purchase. Why? I’m not quite sure. Honestly, I thought, “Huh—well that needs a home, and besides Punch would like to play with it.” I should note that I don’t really believe that the official puppet representative of the house is sentient, but a man must amuse himself somehow. 

It’s a puppet head. A rubber puppet head. It dates to the late 1950s to early 1960s. It was found in a warehouse of puppet parts—in perfect condition, just left there for decades with no explanation. The head represents Mr. Punch in a style which is entirely unique to the 1950s-1960s. He has googly eyes. This is the work of the Pelham Puppet Company, formerly Wonky Toys, Ltd., which was founded in Britain in 1947.

Now—what do I intend to do with it? Though I’m sure Punch fancies carrying him around in a rather grim Hitchcockian manner, I think a puppet head without a body is rather sad. So, with the help of my mother and father, we’re going to build him a proper body, and, thus, after fifty years, this large-nosed fellow will have a more complete life. And, that’s why I bought him. He’s suffered enough. Until then, the utter creepiness of it is undoubtedly appealing. 

Whenever I see it, I’m reminded of a They Might Be Giants song from my high school years. Yes, I’m that old.

Gratuitous Bertie Dog Picture: The Bertie Match

"Stop it!  Stop looking at mud!  You’re boring me!”

Image:  A Sailing Match, William Mulready, 1831, The Victoria and Albert Museum.

Bertie enjoys his romps through art history, and he'd also like to romp into your home.  Since he can't visit everyone, he suggests you take a look at our online store to see how you can bring a gratuitous Bertie dog into each day.

Mastery of Design: The Life Began In Water Necklace, 1950

Necklace
"Life Began in Water"
Sah Oved, c. 1950
The Victoria & Albert Museum

In the years following the Second World War, more so than in any other era, jewelry began to be viewed as a type of “wearable art,” which allowed the wearer to express his or her character as well as that of the designer. Designers played with the conventions of jewelry-making to produce untraditional, often abstract, pieces which looked to the modernist principles of the Bauhaus as well as to earlier avant-garde art movements such as Surrealism, Cubism and Constructivism. Though designs may have nodded to conventional and traditional designs, jewelers felt free to play with proportion and material, employing stones with unusual shapes which were presented in arrangements which were often asymmetrical.

Sah Oved became known for such pieces. Here’s an example of her work, made in England around 1950. “Life began in Water,” features a playful title which is alluding to the creation of life. This jewel is considered an iconic piece of its period.

The central ornament of the necklace is positioned off-center, the fishes and water birds are abstract, and the cuts of the agates, jasper and aquamarines are unconventional. The wholly odd, asymmetrical design became a benchmark for other designers wishing to emulate her work. 

Unfolding Pictures: The Houghton Boating Fan, 1890-1900

Click image to enlarge.
Fan
Mother-of-Pearl Guards and Sticks
Francis Houghton
1890-1900
The Victoria & Albert Museum

Francis Houghton was known throughout late Nineteenth Century Britain as a prolific and highly-talented fan painter, yet know very little about the details of his life except that a number of his fans survive.

The dramatic scene the leaf of this handsome fan is typical of his work. Depicted is a man leaning over the side of the boat. He is presumably saving a girl, who is stranded out at sea in a rowing boat.

The fan is unusually large compared to others by Houghton and, oddly, he has painted the sea over the mother-of-pearl sticks to give the impression of the water stretching out to infinity. He made the fan between 1890 and 1900.  The mother-of-pearl guard is in excellent condition.

Painting of the Day: Going to Sea

Click image to enlarge
"Going to Sea"
Samuel Palmer, 1858
The Victoria & Albert Museum

Two adults and two children stand on a sandy shoreline.  They are gesturing to three figures in a wooden rowing boat near to the shore. On the horizon, the spectator views a large sailing vessel which can be seen to the right of the image.

Painted in 1858 by Samuel Palmer (1805-1881), this painting of watercolor and ink is marked:

'Going to India the Blessing'
'No 60 return from India S. Palmer E'
'Mr. Palmer wished it to be named 'Going to Sea' as it now is'

Mr. Punch of Belgrave Square, Chapter 50

Chapter 50: 
Aim to Fight 

“You gotta try to be calm,” Punch said, wrestling Robert to the bed.

“How can I?” Robert moaned, tears running down his face—his nose running.

Punch plopped down on the bed next to his companion. They were alone in Punch’s chamber after sending Charles back to watch Mr. Barrett with Ellen, Gerard back to his room to rest his head and Speaight to wherever Speaight went within the bowels of the mansion at night.

“Because it’s gonna turn out fine.” Punch smiled brightly.

“You perjured yourself to an officer of the law. You and Charles and Gerard and Speaight. You lied about the Crown, you claimed to have committed a murder that you did not commit and you…”

“We all did it to protect you.”

“Why?”

“Well, then,” Mr. Punch rose angrily, pacing to the mantel across the room. He bent over slightly and leveled his eyes at Robert. “If you gotta ask that, I been doin’ somethin’ wrong this last year.”

“You know what I mean.” Robert whispered.

“No.” Punch snapped. “I don’t.” He raised his left hand. “You see this hand?”

“Yes.” Robert mumbled.

“What’s on it?”

“Two rings.”

“And what do they mean?”

“Punch…”

“What do they mean, Robert?” Punch shot back.

“The diamond on your index finger was the first ring you…well, Julian…ever made.”

“Yes.” Punch nodded. “Why do I wear it—every day?”

“To remind you of Julian, of your heritage, of the Molliner name and what it means to be the Duke of Fallbridge.”

“That’s right.” Punch sighed. “And, the other? On me third finger?”

“That’s the ring I gave you for your birthday.”

“And…what’s it mean?”

“It means…”

“It means that we’re in this life together. You and me, chum. Robert and Punch. Together. Forever. You and me—lookin’ out for our boy, Colin! Takin’ care of this household! Together! Them stones spell out, ‘dearest.’ Yes?”

“Yes.”

“Because I’m your dearest. And, you’re mine. You and me and Colin and Dog Toby and them folks what live in the attic and work in the bottom of this house so that we can all be happy. That’s why I lied. I done it to make sure we’re all together and that we’re all safe and happy. Them three—Tom and Hortence and the other one—they came into this house with threats. I ain’t gonna take no threats in me own home, especially when they’re threats to my dearest! You hear me. I done what I had to do and Charles and Gerry and Speaight—they backed me up because they love you too—sure, maybe not the way I do, but they love you all the same. We’re happy here! We aim to stay happy and ain’t nothin’ I won’t do to make sure that’s so!”

Robert nodded.

“Now, you’re makin’ me shout and I don’t like it.” Punch scowled.

“Come sit by me.” Robert said softly.

“Don’t want to.”

“Why not?”

“I’m angry, I am.”

“With me?”

“Sure, I am. You’re not bein’ Robert Henry Halifax like I know ‘im. You’re bein’ strange and scared. Why?”

“I’m afraid of losing what we have.”

“We ain’t gonna!” Punch yelped. “Chum, we ain’t gonna. But, I gotta have your help.”

“You’re right. Yes, of course, you’re correct.”

“Don’t forget. We spent weeks in America together. Were that a pleasure trip?”

“No.” Robert smiled slightly.

“No. It were not. We fought Voodoo Queens and cruel ladies and murderers and a man who wanted to steal our son. We went through fever and fire and gun shots and blood and…all manner of queer magic what I—to this day—still don’t understand. But, we was together—through all the treachery and all the meanness, we got through it. And, what did we get from it? We got here! We got here with our Colin! And, we came out of it with friends, chum. Gerry and Charles and Gamilla. Buggery Bullox! By the end, we even called the very Voodoo Queen what tried to kill us our friend! Ain’t that what you’d call triumph?”

“I should say so.”

“Then, this is nothin’.” Punch sniffed. “Yes, I lied. I told the copper that I killed William. The reason I gave was good ‘nough. Nothin’s gonna happen. By doin’ it, I stopped them folks from talkin’ and I took ‘way any doubt what could have plagued us. It’s over, chum. And, once ‘gain, what have we got?”

“Us. Colin…and our household.”

“Yes.” Punch grinned.

“Yes.” Robert nodded.

“So, why are you cryin’?”

“I’m…”

“What?”

“I’m haunted. When we were in America, no one knew me—no one except you. Well, of course, Cecil, my brother. But, I mean, no one’s opinion of me was colored by anything. Here, it’s easy to know who I am. My father—the debtor. My mother—the lunatic. It’s easily discovered. People judge you based on these things. They judge and they make decisions based on it.”

“Don’t I know it?” Punch sighed, sitting next to his companion. “Who am I?”

“The Duke of Fallbridge.” Robert shook his head.

“Rumored to be mad, I might add.” Punch winked. “And, not too far-fetched a rumor. Sure, the body is the Duke’s. And, sure, he’s in here. But, we know who I am and it ain’t no Duke. But, even were that not the case, even if I were just Julian Molliner, Duke of Fallbridge, don’t you think people’d judge me the same way. Julian’s mum—there was a witch if there ever was one. And, what became of her? Who knows? Right? We know. Sure, we know she were killed by a whore in New Orleans. But, what do folk here know? Nothin’. She went to America and never came back. Don’t you think folk talk? Do you think they believe when I say she lost her life to fever? No. They don’t. They know she were a horrible person who surely met a bad end. And, me sister. Or, Julian’s sister. Either way—same awful girl. All set to marry a baron and then she’s gone! Where’s she? Didn’t come back either? Lost to the same fever? Who believes that? Whether or not folk think she’s dead or know she’s really alive in Louisiana livin’ as a prostitute, all folk see is that the Duke came back with an ‘adopted’ son who looks an awful lot like a Fallbridge. Don’t you see? No matter what we do, folk are gonna talk, they’re gonna talk and judge and point. No matter what we do, chum, they’re gonna point. And, if for no other reason than that we’re different, you and I. We ain’t a Duke and Duchess livin’ in this fine house. We’re two men and folk know what we’re ‘bout. Nothin’ we do is gonna stop people talkin’ and judgin’. Can’t stop that, we can’t. It just can’t be done. So, we can always live in fear and let folk beat us down or we can fight. I aim to fight. But, I won’t do it alone. You gotta fight with me.”

“I will, dear Punch.”

“Promise me.”

“I promise.” Robert smiled.

“Sure, I know what I done tonight were wrong. It ain’t the first time I done somethin’ wrong and it ain’t the last I ever will. But, this time I did it for a good reason. I done it to protect you—to protect us. And, even to protect them others what live in this house. And, especially our Colin. We can’t control what anyone outside of here does, but, coo! We can make what happens at No. 65 Belgrave Square as safe and happy as possible for as long as possible!”

Robert nodded.

“Now, smile.”

Robert did as instructed—a large, relieved, genuine smile.

“You gonna fight at my side?”

“Always.” Robert stood up.

“That’s all I ask.” Punch grinned.

“I will always be at your side.”

“That’s the way to do it.” Punch whooped.

“I just hope you realize that this evening was not the end of this William Stover problem.”

“I know it.” Mr. Punch laughed. “But, it’s the end of it for the day, and that’s ‘nough for me.”

“For me, too, dear Punch. For me, too.”



Did you miss Chapters 1-49 of Mr. Punch of Belgrave Square? If so, you can read them here. Come back tomorrow for Chapter 51.