‘The Consultation’, 1870

Description

Framed and mounted pen and ink with watercolour drawing, entitled ‘THE CONSULTATION’, by the artist Ernest Griset (1844-1907).

This caricature features three anthropomorphised creatures. In a rustic pharmacy two patients, a boar man and a lady crane, stand at the counter before an apothecary, also a crane. The apothecary leans over the counter, he looks down his beak at them with his ‘hands’ behind his ‘back’.

The drawers of the counter are labelled: “POWDERS”, “ELIXIRS”, “DRUGS” and “MOONSTONE”. Around the shop are displayed various ‘exotic’ animals including, a bat, a tortoise, and eggs. On the shelves and are bottles and jars containing animals, including, frogs, a lizard, and fish. One bottle containing a fish is labelled “SPIRITS OF WINE”.

A stuffed alligator or crocodile, and a duck billed platypus hang from the ceiling. Signed by the artist in the lower left-hand corner.