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The Twelfth-Night Wassail-Bowl, 1856. Creator: Sir John Gilbert
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The Twelfth-Night Wassail-Bowl, 1856. Creator: Sir John Gilbert
The Twelfth-Night Wassail-Bowl, 1856. 17th century scene: peasants visiting the lord and lady of the manor at Christmas....the bowl was filled with spiced wine, and carried to the houses of the gentry and others, from whom was expected a hospitable reception, and calling their bowl Wassail, to "drink wassail" to their entertainers. "These merry sounds of mirth and music are not extinct. There are still places wherein the wandering blower of a clarinet and the poor scraper of as poor a fiddle will this evening strain their instruments to
charm forth the rustic from his dwelling, and drink to him from a jug of
warm ale spiced with a race of ginger, in the hope of pittance for their
melody and their wish of wassail" [William Hone].
From "Illustrated London News", 1856
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Media ID 36337179
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Alcohol Annual Aristocrats Bagpipe Player Bagpiper Bagpipes Beer Christmas Cider Class Custom Epiphany Feast Of Epiphany Gilbert John Gilbert Sir John John Gilbert Liquor Musicians Nobility Raising Hat Rich Sir John Gilbert Social Class Tradition Twelfth Night Typical Wine Aristocrat Wassail Wassail Bowl Wassailing
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EDITORS COMMENTS
This enchanting print by Sir John Gilbert, titled 'The Twelfth-Night Wassail-Bowl,' transports us back to the 17th century, where we find peasants paying a festive visit to the lord and lady of the manor during the Christmas season. The scene is filled with merriment and cheer as the peasants carry a wassail-bowl, brimming with spiced wine, to the houses of their aristocratic hosts. The tradition of wassailing, which originated from the Feast of Epiphany, involved the exchange of the bowl between the peasants and their entertainers, with the expectation of a hospitable reception and the cry of "wassail," meaning "drink to your health." The merry sounds of music, played by a bagpiper and a clarinetist, fill the air as the peasants make their way from house to house. The children, too, join in the festivities, gesturing and raising their hats in anticipation of a pittance for the musicians' melody and their wish of wassail. The aristocrats, dressed in their finery, extend warm welcomes to their humble visitors, sharing in the joy and merriment of the season. This beautiful engraving, published in the Illustrated London News in 1856, captures the essence of a time-honored tradition that transcends social class and brings people together in celebration. The print, created by Sir John Gilbert, offers a glimpse into the past, reminding us of the enduring power of community, music, and the spirit of the holiday season.
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