Details

Transplanting of Teeth

HC.J.16.X.7

Thomas Rowlandson (Engraver), 50 Oxford St. Wm. Holland (Publisher)

Engraving on paper by Thomas Rowlandson (1756-1827) made in 1787 and published by Wm. Holland, 50 Oxford Street in 1790. A strikingly realistic conception of a practice which was popular towards the end of the eighteenth century. Bartholomew Ruspini, the central figure in blue, is using a key to extract a tooth from a chimney sweep who is seated on a creme, clean chair, intensifying the satire of the situation. To the left, a lady 'of quality' holds a bottle of smelling salts, while closely and apprehensively watching the operation. She has had a tooth extracted: and shortly one from the sweep's jaw will be inserted in her bleeding socket. On the right, a spectacled assistant peers into a young lady's mouth. She is sitting with clenched hands. and he is about to extract a rotten tooth and replace it with a sound one. In the background, an elderly dandy is examining, with apparent disapproval, the tooth which has been transplanted in his mouth. Leaving the room are a ragged boy and girl clutching their jaws; the girl studies a coin which she recieved for sacrificing a sound tooth. It is the same engraving, produced by a different publisher as HC.J.16.X.6 but variations can be seen in the colouring as that was still done by hand. It was not unusual for print-dealers to purchase another's stock and score through or 'burnish out' the previous owner's name on the original plate, the faint results of which can be seen here to the right of the engraving's title.

Eighteenth century, late