Plan your visit. 225 Madison Avenue at 36th Street, New York, NY 10016.

Plan your visit. 225 Madison Avenue at 36th Street, New York, NY 10016.

Providential escape of John Wesley from fire in 1709 [print] / engraved from an original drawing by R. Sly.

Accession number
PML 146432, leaf 114
Creator
Sly, R., engraver.
Published
[London] : Published as the act directs and sold by Ackermann & Co., Strand, and Tilt & Bogue, Fleet Strt., [18--]
Credit line
Bequest of Gordon N. Ray, 1987.
Notes
Caption continues: When John Wesley was only six years old, the parsonage house at Epworth took fire; his father twice endeaored in vain to discover and save him, but the child having by Divine Providence found his way to a window, he was rescued by one man leaping on the shoulders of another to reach him: the roof immediately afterwards fell in.
Item bound in as leaf 114 of v. 4 of a set of 4 scrapbooks compiled by William Upcott containing prints and portraits, autographs, manuscripts, facsimiles, ephemera and printed memorabilia, clippings, and original drawings pertaining to the lives of notable persons (see PML 146429-32).
Description
1 print : mezzotint and etching, image: 204 x 150 mm; plate mark: 255 x 180 mm; sheet: 336 x 245 mm
Provenance
From the library of Gordon N. Ray.
Summary
Print shows the 6 year old John Wesley on the large stone window sill of the burning rectory house, looking over his shoulder as smoke billows out behind him at far left; directly below him, a man is positioned with arms raised, ready to rescue him.
Classification
Department