Modern Athenians No. 1

Modern Athenians (No. 1) by Benjamin W. Crombie
C. 1837-1847
Hand-colored etchings

This satirical hand-colored etching depicts two eccentric Edinburgh figures identified as Alexander Youngson and John Sheriff, portrayed as representatives of the city's so-called "Modern Athenians." Youngson, bundled in a blue overcoat and top hat while carrying an umbrella beneath his arm, confronts the gaunt Sheriff, whose elongated frame, walking stick, and sprig of flowers exaggerate his distinctive appearance. Executed with humorous caricatural detail, the print playfully celebrates the memorable personalities that populated nineteenth-century Edinburgh while reflecting the city's reputation for wit, refinement, and intellectual distinction.

During the eighteenth and early nineteenth centuries, Edinburgh earned the sobriquet "Athens of the North" as one of Europe's foremost centers of the Scottish Enlightenment, celebrated for its philosophers, scientists, physicians, and writers. Benjamin W. Crombie's Modern Athenians series captured the city's distinctive characters at the height of this intellectual and cultural flourishing, portraying not only prominent civic leaders but also the colorful local personalities who animated everyday life. Combining portraiture with gentle satire, the series reflects the Victorian fascination with character studies while preserving a visual record of individuals who might otherwise have been forgotten. Today, these prints are valued not only for their lively humor and skilled hand-coloring but also as important documents of nineteenth-century Edinburgh, illustrating how the city balanced its reputation for scholarship and refinement with an enduring appreciation for wit, individuality, and eccentricity.

Dimensions: H 11” x 16” W

Condition: In excellent condition