ACCOUNTS, &C., OF THE BRITISH MUSKUM. 39 



Depaetmekt of Pkints and Drawings. 

 I. Arrangement and Cataloguing. 



The sliow-case, which stands in the centre of the public room, has been lengthened to 

 double its original size, and fitted with spring blinds, and that part of the collection which 

 illustrates the early history of engraving, consisting of specimens of works in niello, 

 sulphur casts, silver plates, and impressions on paper, has been re- arranged in it as 

 nearly as possible in chronological order. The collection has also been increased by the 

 addition of the carving by Albert Diirei', some engraved steel plates, and a few of the 

 rarest early Italian prints, &c. 



The second volume of the Catalogue of Satirical Prints and Drawings has been 

 published, and comprises, in nearly a thousand pages, entries, about eight hundred 

 in number, dealing with the political and personal satires of the period, from June 1689 

 to 1733, especially those illustrating the contest between Protestantism and lloraan Catho- 

 licism, the wars with Louis XIV., including the war of the Spanish Succession, the final 

 defeat of James II., the French " Universal Monarchy," the High Church and Low 

 Church parties, the Calf's Head Club, the South Sea and Mississippi Schemes, the early 

 history of the Opera, the modern stage and pantomime, lotteries, " The Dunciad," Sir li, 

 Walpole and his Excise Scheme, and the early works of Hogarth. This was a period of 

 transition in satire, during which, art was associated with literary matter to an exceptional 

 extent ; the texts of the works catalogued needed therefore an unusual extent of literary 

 illustration, abstracts and extracts, in order to place the subjects fairly before the student. 



Of the third volume, about twenty-five sheets are prepared, of which nearly twenty 

 sheets are in type, ready for incorporation with the rest of the volume, which comprises 

 numerous Avorks by Hogarth, besides satires illustrating the opera, drama, players, the 

 war with Spain, the fall of Sir R. Walpole's administration, the biographies of George II., 

 Whitefield, Admirals Vernon, Hosier, and Byng, the Duke of Cumberland, Pulteney, 

 Cardinal Fleury, the Empress Maria Theresa, Pope, Cibber, Frederick the Great, the 

 Pretender, Pitt, Lord Bute, and the Queen; also journalism of the period, "Mock- 

 masonry," the Rebellion of 1745, the artists, and early exhibitions of pictures. The pre- 

 face to the second volume comprises analyses of the contents of the former volume, 

 likewise essays on the political importance of artistic satire, and the progress of satire in 

 England. 



The first volume of the Catalogue of Prints and Drawings illustrating events in English 

 History, will be issued without much more delay ; one thousand eight hundred and fifty- 

 six full titles have been written for the same during the year. 

 . The collection of beautiful and highly finished drawings by Nicolaus Mosman, mostly 

 taken from celebrated Italian pictures, and numbering two hundred and nine-two 

 examples, which were presented to the Trustees by Brownlow Cecil, ninth Earl of Exeter 

 in 1779, has been arranged in twelve imperial and two antiquarian solander cases; and 

 a working catalogue has been written of them, with references to the position of each 

 drawing. 



The modern German etchings have been brought together, and temporarily arranged, 

 ■until cases are prepared for them ; an alphabetical index of the artists' names has been 

 written, and also a chronological one. 



A Catalogue has been prepared of the etchings by Christian Bernhard Rode, with 

 translations of the titles in Nagler's "Kunstler Lexicon;" the register marks of the 

 specimens in the Department being added to each entry. 



A hand Catalogue has been written of the names of the engravers, whose works arc 

 arranged in the seven volumes of fine proofs and prints of the Dutch and Flemish 

 engravers, with references to the volumes in which they are placed. 



A full Index has been made of the titles in the second volume of the Catalogue of 

 Personal and Political Satires. 



Catalogues of the collections of English and foreign prints in mezzotinto are in pre- 

 paration. 



The arrangement of the works of the brothers Wierix has been completed; one 

 hundred and eighty-five specimens having been marked off in Alvin's catalogue, and 

 incorporated. 



The Itahan, Spanish, French, German, Dutch, and Flemish books of prints liave 

 been re-arranged in the South Gallery; all additions have been incorporated, and references 

 to their position made on the titles in the MS. Catalogues. 



An important selection of rare prints and drawings has been made from the collection 

 of Hugh Howard, an eminent connoisseur, who died in 1735, comprising many specimens, 

 some of them probably unique. 



The English etchings recently mounted have been incorporated, and temporarily arranged 

 in alphabetical order, and placed in solander cases, of which there are now eighteen. 



Drawings, carbon photographs, and choice early prints have been mounted on sunk 

 boards, to preserve them from injury by friction and other causes, to the number of one 

 thousand and eighty-five ; other examples of less value, to the number of three thousand 

 five hundred and thirty-one, have been mounted in the ordinary manner ; and in all cases 

 the names and references have been printed in bistro on the moiuits. 



121. G One 



