Old Man and Donkey

George Smart (1774-1846)

1833

Collage on paper

37 x 31 cm

’Old Bright’ the postman reappears in this George Smart collage. To the right can be seen ‘Smart’s Repository’, where the artist exhibited his cloth pictures. In Clifford’s Guide of Tunbridge Wells of 1823, the writer tells us that those that ride through Frant were attracted by the ‘Exhibition of a tailor, who, out of cloth of divers[sic] colours, delineates … a variety of grotesque characters, particularly old Bright, the Postman, many years sweeper of Tunbridge Wells’ Walks, which is considered a good likeness.’

The subject of this image is ‘Old Bright’ the postman, a familiar yet mysterious character in Smart’s local community. He was described in John Evans’ An Excursion to Brighton of 1823 as being of 97 years of age ‘attesting to the purity of the atmosphere in which they lived by their longevity’. A curious piece of verse on a label often pasted to the back of Smart’s pictures reads:

 

There I beheld the Postman’s face,

His walking stick and letter case;

With Ass in hand, (to where he dwells,)

As he returns to TUNBRIDGE-WELLS…

 

There are multiple reproductions of this image by Smart; other examples can be found at the Tunbridge Wells Museum. The composition, though, is largely the same throughout. ‘Old Bright’ is depicted walking with a large cane, carrying a satchel full of mail and holding a letter addressed to “G Smart”. He tows his donkey behind and is never depicted without him. Behind is the village of Frant, with the parish church on the left, whilst to the right can be seen ‘Smart’s Repository’, where the artist exhibited his cloth pictures. In Clifford’s Guide of Tunbridge Wells of 1823, the writer tells us that those that ride through Frant were attracted by the ‘Exhibition of a tailor, who, out of cloth of divers[sic] colours, delineates … a variety of grotesque characters, particularly old Bright, the Postman, many years sweeper of Tunbridge Wells’ Walks, which is considered a good likeness.’