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English tourist in a bird basket in a gannet hunt
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English tourist in a bird basket in a gannet hunt
English tourist riding in a bird basket in a gannet or guga hunt on the isle of St. Kilda, Outer Hebrides, Scotland. Doctor Factobends recantation in the bird basket, St. Kildd. Handcoloured copperplate engraving drawn and engraved by William Read from William Combes The Tour of Doctor Prosody, in search of the Antique and the Picturesque, through Scotland, the Hebrides, the Orkney and Shetland Isles, Matthew Illy, London, 1821
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Media ID 23382176
© Florilegius
Antiquarian Antique Antiquities Chisel Clears Doctor Gannet Hammer Hebrides Historian Hunt Iona Isle Isles Johnson Orkney Parody Picaresque Prosody Samuel Search Shetland Tomb Tourist Tourists Vandalism Williams Deface
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EDITORS COMMENTS
In this intriguing hand-colored copperplate engraving, an English tourist is depicted riding in a bird basket during a gannet or "guga" hunt on the remote Isle of St. Kilda in the Outer Hebrides of Scotland. The Isle of St. Kilda, known for its rugged terrain and harsh weather, was famous for its unique hunting practices, including the gannet hunt. The tourist, dressed in fashionable attire, clutches a hammer and chisel in one hand and a quill pen and paper in the other. His expression suggests a mixture of excitement and trepidation as he participates in this ancient ritual. The scene around him is chaotic, with other hunters in bird baskets and boats, as well as gannets flying overhead. The engraving is taken from "The Tour of Doctor Prosody, in search of the Antique and the Picturesque, through Scotland, the Hebrides, the Orkney and Shetland Isles," a travelogue written by William Combe and published in London in 1821. The illustration is the work of William Read, and the image is a caricature of the English tourist's defacement of ancient tombs during his travels. The scene is reminiscent of the picaresque and parodic style of travel writing popular during the Romantic era, as exemplified by the works of Samuel Johnson and Charles Williams. The image also highlights the tension between the tourist's desire to experience the antiquities and picturesque landscapes of Scotland and the destruction of those very same sites through vandalism. This engraving is a fascinating glimpse into the past, offering insights into the tourist industry, hunting practices, and the cultural clash between the old and the new. It is a reminder of the importance of preserving historical sites and respecting the cultures and traditions of the places we visit.
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