A convicted thief

A convicted thief

George Housman Thomas

Wood engraving by W. Thomas

6 1/8 x 4 1/8 inches

Anthony Trollope,The Last Chronicle of Barset, Vol 1. Facing p.90.

A dramatic illustration in which the artist encapsulates the asymmetry of the Proudies’ relationship: he is the compliant one, she the domestic tyrant in control. Her dominance is conveyed in her accusatory stance, while the bishop looks ineffectually into space, fiddling with his hands. Equally telling is the small detail (invented by Thomas) of the servant in the background, whose folded arms and bored expression suggest that this is typical behaviour in the Proudie household. The wealth of the décor forms a significant contrast with the Crawleys’ bare room.

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Scanned image and text by Simon Cooke.

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