The half hour before dinner, 1871. Creator: Unknown
Choose Your Product
Heritage Images Photo Prints and Wall Art
The half hour before dinner, 1871. Creator: Unknown
The half hour before dinner, 1871....when half-past seven is marked by the gilt Paris clock on the mantelpiece, while the summons to walk into the dining-room is still delayed, it must be confessed that the power of dulness is heavily laid upon such a company as our Artist presents...The moment he has chosen...is one about to break the spell of commonplace stupidity and decorous apathy, by the coming announcement of a domestic disaster. This mishap may even relieve the spirits of those who can laugh at the loss of good victuals...The boy in buttons, or page...has just approached Mrs. Fiddings with a message of dismay from the frightened cook outside the drawing-room door. A volcanic eruption in the kitchen chimney, at the moment when the soup and boiled fish were removed from the fire, and when the roasts were approaching perfection, has brought down a vast quantity of soot, with clouds of foul smoke, and spoiled the fine Christmas turkey...which was to have figured at the head of the table. We are really sorry for the lady of the house, as she hastens out to meet and confer with poor Martha on the best means of mending the repast...The only comfortable creature in this party is the cat upon a soft stool before the drawing-room fire'. From "Illustrated London News", 1871
Media ID 39880219
© The Print Collector/Heritage Images
Accident Anger Angry Asleep Bored Boredom Cats Child Labour Chimneypiece Christmas Christmas Day Class Cook Cookery Cooking Decorations Dinner Party Evening Evergreen Family Life Feline Felines Fight Fireplace Fireplace Mantel Fred Barnard Frederick Barnard Fury Impatience Impatient Incident La Soiree Mantelpiece Middle Class Mistletoe Noise Noisy Page Pageboy Party Rage Servant Servants Sleep Sleeping Social Class Upper Class Viscum Album Waiting
Your artwork will be printed orientated as per the preview above, with landscape (horizontal) or portrait (vertical) orientation to match the source image
Made in USA
Safe Shipping, Easy Returns
FREE PERSONALISATION
We are proud to offer a range of customisation including Cropping, Captions, and Filters. Zoom Cropping can be adjusted in the basket
FREE COLORIZATION
You can choose advanced AI Colorization for this picture at no extra charge
SECURE PAYMENTS
We accept all major payment options so you can pay for the things you need in the way that is most convenient for you