c. 1770, Woodblock Printing Plate - Naked Youth

Colonial America

Woodblock Printing Plate Showing Man Chasing Naked Youth Beside River

c. 1770, Woodblock Printing Plate, Depicting a Man with a Switch Chasing a Naked Young Man beside a River, Choice Very Fine.
This original, hand-engraved, unsigned, 2.25" x 3" wooden printing block, shows a man in period clothing chasing a naked youth along a river bank, while two others continue to swim. This woodblock image may represent a morality statement against nudity or idleness, consistent with generally held beliefs in those times. Based on the style of engraving and the clothing, this image was likely used in a late-1700s magazine or almanac or chapbook, the popular reading of the day. Whatever the story, this block is well executed, the main design within an oval, with decorations in the 4 corners. This woodblock is generally in excellent condition, aside from a 1" crack near the lower left corner. A wonderful example of life and printing methods in the 1700s.