‘Comfort to the Corns’, c1800

Description

Mounted hand coloured etching, entitled ‘COMFORT to the CORNS’, designed by James Gillray, etched by W. Brocas, and published by I. Sidebotham.

In this caricature an old woman in a shawl sits in a carved gothic chair by an open fireplace, sticks burn on the hearth. She leans forward, her mouth open in anticipation as she prepares to use a large knife to cut at her corns.

Both the large string of onions on the wall, and the carved decorations on the chair resemble the corns on the woman’s feet. Beside her chair are a tub, towel and scrubbing brush and by the fire is a large cat.