Portsmouth Point

This hand-coloured print depicts a scene of bawdy activity taking place at Portsmouth Point, an area with a seedy reputation situated on the eastern side of the entrance to Portsmouth Harbour. On the left is a Jewish moneylender’s shopfront hung with clothes and a sign reading ‘Moses Levy / Money Lent’. Opposite is the ‘Ship Tavern’. The foreground is a bustle of activity as baggage and casks are carried and rolled towards the distant harbour. A child plays with dogs while a one-legged sailor plays the fiddle and his shipmates cavort with local women, some of whom may be sex workers. Some officers are shown leaving the tavern and bidding goodbye to a group of women and children. A further group, including an officer with a telescope, look out of the bay window, and an additional officer embraces his lover in the top-floor window. Inscribed beneath the image with the title, ‘Portsmouth Point’ and the artist’s signature, ‘Rowlandson Del.’

The print was first issued in 1811 (see PAF3841 for an impression with that date). It was subsequently reissued with the date changed to 1814 (see, for example, British Museum 1872,1012.5049). This impression comes from a further reissue with the date entirely removed. Mounted with PAG8621 in album PAG8512.