Illustration to William Cowper's Poem "The Diverting History of John Gilpin": John Gilpin Is Delayed Going to Church by Three Customers Entering His Linendraper's Shop 1857

John Whetten Ehninger made this illustration to William Cowper's poem using graphite on paper. The lines are delicate, almost tentative, but they capture a bustling scene outside a linen draper's shop, owned by the titular John Gilpin. The choice of graphite is interesting here. It's a humble material, a common tool for sketching and preliminary studies. Yet, in Ehninger's hands, it becomes a medium for capturing the energy of commerce and community. Look at the details: the texture of the horse's mane, the folds in Gilpin's coat, the expressions on the faces of the customers. Each line contributes to the narrative, creating a sense of depth and movement. Ehninger’s work invites us to consider the relationship between labor and leisure. Gilpin, a shopkeeper, is delayed from attending church due to the demands of his trade. It is in this very trade of cloth and linen that we find the social context of the poem and the artwork. This simple drawing, made with a humble material, speaks volumes about the complexities of work, life, and faith in the 19th century.