Lot 362: After Francis Wheatley, R.A., Engraved by Anthony Cardon, Do You Want Any Matches? from Cries of London
A hand-coloured stipple engraving on paper, representing a classic piece of British decorative printmaking. This work is a later reproduction from the iconic Cries of London series, after the original painting by Francis Wheatley, R.A. (1747–1801). The scene, titled Do you want any Matches?, depicts a street vendor selling bundles of matches, accompanied by a small child and a dog, set against a backdrop of classical urban architecture. The print features the inscriptions Painted by F. Wheatley R.A. at the lower left and Engrav’d by A. Cardon at the lower right. Centred below the image is the title CRIES of LONDON, followed by Do you want any Matches? / Marchande d’Allumettes achetez mes bonnes Allumettes. A visible plate mark is present around the perimeter of the image. The print is housed in a dark-stained wooden frame with a gilt inner slip.
Condition report:
The paper exhibits noticeable overall toning and discolouration consistent with age. There are no major visible tears or creases to the sheet. The frame shows minor surface wear, scuffs, and small age-related marks.
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