Little John, the Muffin Man.
[Then follows the rough wood block representing a grotesque figure.]
Collection of accurate Delineations of Flowers, Trees, Perspective Views, Architectural, Military, Sporting Pieces, Family Groups, Portraits of Distinguished Individuals, etc., Elegantly Mounted Pictures and Backgrounds, by W. G. Wall, Esqre., Dublin, together with 7 grand Oriental Paintings of the most celebrated views of North America, taken on the spot by eminent British artists.
Admission 1/-.
For which money each visitor is to receive a correct Likeness in Bust, cut in 20 seconds, without drawing or machine, by sight alone, and simply with a pair of scissors, by a boy of 14. Those who are averse to sitting for the Likeness are presented with some small specimen of the youthful artist’s talents.
Likenesses both in ink and in colours.
Style from 7s. 6d. up, by artists. Frames in Gilt.
Visitors are enabled to return to the Gallery by introducing a Stranger.
Open from 10 till Dusk.
This device with regard to a return visit to the gallery was probably highly successful, and adopted by Master Hubard on his visit to the United States about 1833. He was seventeen years of age when he went to America and established a Hubard Gallery in New York, where for fifty cents he cut the portraits of many well-known people. His gallery was thronged. His pictures are usually full-length portraits, and are pasted on card, having “Hubard Gallery” embossed in the left-hand corner. The example before us shows a handsome man with frock-coat and high stock collar. Though most of his work was done with scissors, Hubard also worked in Indian ink, and sometimes used gold pencilling to heighten the effect. An interesting example of his work is the portrait of little Princess Victoria, when about ten years of age. This was doubtless cut at Kensington Palace; possibly the little maid would be allowed to visit the gallery, or Hubard may have been summoned to the palace, as Edouart was to Holyrood.