‘Baron Von Bettelheuser & his Rival’, 1804-1872

Description

Mounted hand coloured etching entitled ‘Baron Von Bettelheuser & his Rival’, drawn by Alfred Henry Forrestier, etched by George Cruikshank, and published by anon. Date unknown.

‘Baron von Bettelheuser and his Rival’ depicts a short fat baron watching a tall thin soldier emerging from his house. A lengthy inscription describes the baron’s symptoms of jealousy; “One day however returning unexpectedly to his lodging, he saw cautiously sneaking from his house a long legged, long whiskered (…) (…). His eyes became fixed as if some horrid spectre had crossed (…) path – his heart palpitated – the extremes of heat and cold alternately (…aded) his trembling frame, and he was almost unwittingly suffering under as strong fit of jealously.”.