A good servant, represented as a hybrid creature combining a man, a pig, an ass and a deer, carrying cleaning implements and having a padlocked mouth. Engraving, 1749, after J. Hoskins.

  • John Hoskins
Date:
Published according to Act of Parliament 1749
Reference:
29721i
  • Pictures
  • Online

Available online

view A good servant, represented as a hybrid creature combining a man, a pig, an ass and a deer, carrying cleaning implements and having a padlocked mouth. Engraving, 1749, after J. Hoskins.

Public Domain Mark

You can use this work for any purpose without restriction under copyright law. Read more about this licence.

Credit

A good servant, represented as a hybrid creature combining a man, a pig, an ass and a deer, carrying cleaning implements and having a padlocked mouth. Engraving, 1749, after J. Hoskins. Wellcome Collection. Public Domain Mark. Source: Wellcome Collection.

Selected images from this work

View 1 image

About this work

Description

A mural painting at Winchester College, known as "The trusty servant", devised by John Hoskins in 1579. "In our description of the college we had almost forgotten a painting, which is an object of notice to most persons who come to visit the place. On the wall of a room through which you pass to the kitchen, is delineated a strange figure, which we should be at a loss how to name, if Dr. Milner had not taught us to call it a Hircocervus. Perhaps an account of its composition will convey a clearer idea. The head has ass's ears and a swine's snout, upon which hangs a padlock; the feet are those of a deer. The rest of the figure is human. He stands erect, and holds up his right hand open. In his left he carries the implements of various service, viz. a brush, a prong, a currycomb, and something else. He is clothed in a full-dress livery coat, is girded with a sword, and on his left arm he bears a shield. The explanation of this heterogeneous asseınblage is given in the following verses on the wall beside him ... If the picture should not be useful in giving hints to servants for their proper conduct, it is at least amusing as an emblematical curiosity."--Combe, loc. cit.

Publication/Creation

Published according to Act of Parliament 1749.

Physical description

1 print : engraving ; image 25 x 26 cm

Contributors

Lettering

A piece of antiquity painted on the wall adjoining to the kitchen of Winchester College, which has been long preserved; & as oft as occasion requires, is repair'd, w.th the following Latin verses ... The Latin verses are: "Effigiem servi si vis spectare probati, / Quisquis es, haec oculos pascat imago tuos. / Porcinum os quocunque cibo jejunia sedat: / Haec sera, consilium ne fiat, arcta premit. / Dat patientem asinus dominis jurgantibus aurem; / Cervus habet celeres ire, redire, pedes. / Laeva docet multum tot rebus onusta laborem; / Vestis munditiem, dextera aperta fidem. / Accinctus gladio, clypeo munitus ; et inde / Vel se, vel Dominum, quo tueatur, habet." The Latin verses are followed by an English verse translation as follows: "A trusty servant's portrait would you see, / This emblematic figure well survey: / The porker's snout not nice in diet shews. / The padlock shut no secrets he'll disclose. / Patient the ass his master's wrath will hear, / Swiftness in errand the stagg's feet declare; / Loaded his left hand apt to labour saith: / The vest his neatness, open hand his faith. / Girt with his sword, his shield upon his arm, / Himself & master he'll protect from harm"

References note

William Combe, The history of the colleges of Winchester, Eton, and Westminster, London: R. Ackermann, 1816, pp. 43-44

Reference

Wellcome Collection 29721i

Languages

Where to find it

  • LocationStatusAccess
    Closed stores

Permanent link