Joseph Yeager
Procession of Victuallers of Philadelphia on the 15th of March 1821 conducted under the direction of Mr. William White

Public Domain

Artist Joseph Yeager (American, c.1792–1859, active Philadelphia, 1800–1825)American, c.1792–1859, active Philadelphia, 1800–1825

Artistafter John Lewis Krimmel (American, born Germany, 1789–1821)American, born Germany, 1789–1821

PrinterPrinted by Charles Woodward, Jr. (American, active 19th century)American, active 19th century

PublisherPublished by Joseph Yeager (American, c.1792–1859, active Philadelphia, 1800–1825)American, c.1792–1859, active Philadelphia, 1800–1825

CultureAmerican

Titles

Procession of Victuallers of Philadelphia on the 15th of March 1821 conducted under the direction of Mr. William White

Datec. 1821–1822

Printed inPhiladelphia, Pennsylvania, United States

MediumAquatint, etching and watercolor on laid paper

DimensionsImage: 14 1/4 × 23 5/8 in. (36.2 × 60 cm)
Sheet: 18 1/4 × 24 3/8 in. (46.4 × 61.9 cm)

Credit LineThe Bayou Bend Collection, museum purchase funded by Alfred C. Glassell, III in honor of his father, Alfred C. Glassell, Jr., at "One Great Night in November, 2007"

Object numberB.2007.6

Not on view

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Department

Bayou Bend

Object Type

PRINTS

DescriptionThis engraving embodies the pride of a group of Philadelphia's tradesmen, its butchers. The composition is after a painting by John Lewis Krimmel, which reinforces contemporary accounts describing him as the "American Hogarth." The butchers, dressed in their regalia, process through the streets. At the fair's conclusion, most of the animals were slaughtered and more than 86,000 pounds of beef, pork, lamb, and even bear meat, were harvested. Today, this image is heralded as a masterpiece among nineteenth-century American prints, testifying to Philadelphia's economic successes, as well as the compassion the city demonstrated for its less fortunate citizens as manifested in the seal and motto in the title line, "We feed the hungry." Though the composition includes but a single Black figure in the left foreground, by 1820 Philadelphia’s Blacks constituted approximately ten percent of the city’s population.
Provenance[The Philadelphia Print Shop, Philadelphia]; purchased by MFAH, 2007.
Inscriptions, Signatures and Marks

Recto: Inscribed in printed ink, below plate, left: Drawn by J.L. Krimmel.
Recto: Inscribed in printed ink, below plate, center: This view is taken from M. Carey & Sons Book Store S.E. corner of 4th and Chestnut Strs.
Recto: Inscribed in printed ink, below plate, right: Engraved by J.Yeager.
Recto: Inscribed in printed ink, below plate, center: PROCESSION OF VICTUALLERS / OF PHILADELPHIA, ON THE 15TH OF MARCH 1821. CONDUCTED UNDER THE DIRECTION OF MR. WILLIAM WHITE.
Recto: Inscribed in printed ink, below plate, center: The occasion that gave rise to this SPLENDID PROCESSION, was conveying the meat of the stock of exhibition Cattle to Market, which for number: quality, bounty and variety, has never been slaughtered at any one time in this, or probably in any other country. 100 carts were / required to convey them to market, and the whole was sold within twenty four hours, there were 42 head of oxen weighing 53024 lbs. the suet and fat 15221 lbs. 1 Calf, 20 Hogs, 19 Sheep, 7 Kids, 5 cub Bears, and 2 Fawns, making a total of 36731 lbs. / The praise worthy excertions of our respectable citizens (whose names are subjoined) in the improvement of cattle fed the following number, with their weight. Lewis Clapier Esq.r 16 of the Gough breed, 21662 lbs. and 8 of the common drove cattle, 9209 lbs. M.r William White. 4 oxen, / 4451 ibs. 7 Kids. 5 cub Bears, and 2 Fawns. George Sheaff Esq.r 4, 4721 ibs. Peter Wager Esq.r 4 4496 lbs. Major Pissant. 1 ox 1550 lbs. and 1 Calf 552 lbs M.r P. Lowry, 1 Stear, 1977 lbs. M.r H. Boraff 2, 2044 lbs M.r S. Painter 2,2362 lbs. 1 Sheep by W.m Bradley, 8, by A. Clements & 10 S. West.
Recto: Inscribed in printed ink, below plate, center bottom edge: Philadelphia Published and sold by Joseph Yeager No. 37 Chestnut Street. / Printed by Charles Woodward Jr.

Catalogue raisonnéDeak 331, Munsing 33, Naeve 105, Stauffer 3438

Cataloguing data may change with further research.

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