A new apothecary's shop open for business, with parody advertisements for different potions; representing the remedies required for different professions and social types. Coloured etching after G.M. Woodward, 1802.

item

Galleries and Reading Room

Library

Shop

Café

We’re undertaking some research with website visitors to learn more about how people find access-related information provided by museums. This survey shouldn't take longer than 10 minutes to complete. Thank you for your time!

Help us organize our website content.

<p>A humorous allegory showing the requirements of people such as electioneering politicians, gossips, widows, lawyers etc., in the form of a picture of the shop of a Georgian vendor of patent remedies. The forms which the medicines take -- powders, pills, ointments, balsams etc.--are derived from mainstream traditional pharmacy, but the vendor is trying to claim added value by targeting them at the needs of particular groups of customers. In this example of rather laboured Georgian humour, the patent medicines offered are not cures for diseases at all but are cures for specific social situations such as overwork, loneliness, low esteem, networking needs, etc.</p>
<p>The words: "Physic for man and horse!! Daniel Drug, dealer in patent medicines" are above the shop door, "Kill or cure!!" on it; the vendor says "Will nobody buy? -Will nobody buy?" and his posters display the names of twenty potions for specific types of people. The subject appears to be the low-grade shop of a medicine vendor just starting out in business. Whereas established shops of this period had a panelled doorway with a fanlight above and bow windows to the sides, this one has a stable door, above it is a plain lintel, and at the sides are paper posters stuck on to a wooden framework fixed to the outside wall.</p>

A new apothecary's shop open for business, with parody advertisements for different potions; representing the remedies required for different professions and social types. Coloured etching after G.M. Woodward, 1802.

Licence and re-use