Infants and their Wooden Horse (no title)

Date1756

Engraver John Faber Jr. 1684 - 1756

After work by Philippe Mercier 1689 - 1760

Publisher Robert Sayer (1725-1794)

Publisher R. Withy

OriginEngland, London

MediumBlack and white mezzotint engraving

DimensionsOH: 11 5/8" x OW: 13 5/8"; Plate H: 10 7/8" x W: 13"

Credit LineMuseum Purchase

Object number1952-96

DescriptionThe lower margin reads: "Ph. Mercier pinx.t/ J. Faber fecit./ Smit with the Pleasure of the coming Course,/ How pleas'd Infants mount their Wooden Horse,/ No Train-Band Collonel on a Muster Day,/ Strides his grave Nag with greater Joy than they/ Active in Thought o'er Hills & Dales they bound,/ And fly in Fancy o'er the beaten Ground;/ Yet grieve to find (their short Excurtion done)/ Their active Hobby not an Inch has run./ So wishing Fools in Thought assume the King,/ And mount to Power on Fancy's flutt'ring Wing,/ Yet find when waken'd from their Golden Trance/ Unchang'd their Meagre State & All their Power/ Romance./ Printed for Rob.t Sayer, In.o Ryall and Rob.t Withy in Fleet Street, 1756."Label TextA little boy with a whip in hand stands behind a little girl on a highly decorated wooden horse. The girl carries a banner in her hand. In the background is a castle.ProvenanceBefore 1952, the Old Print Shop (New York, NY); 1952-present, purchased by the Colonial Williamsburg Foundation (Williamsburg, VA).