poet poet oil painting produced british artist reproduced published state plate produced scene probably inspired satirical poem depicts scene small attic room poet sits desk head papers desk evidently looking inspiration complete poem writing near sits wife clothes surprised entrance demands payment debts background poet state issued december companion piece enraged musician comic scene driven distraction noise street outside practice room initial plate poet produced soon completed oil painting state plate completed late time advertised intention issue image set musician poet image subject painting musician renamed enraged musician produced image completed picture scene set small sparsely furnished pieces crude furniture room poorly kept cracking plaster broken window uneven floor bare way desperate circumstances occupants poverty family inspiration suffering writer block poet sits end bed night gown hand head copy art english poetry guide composition published lies open table copy satirical lies floor near feet feet right sits wife clothes lap floor crying infant upset hungry goes bed poet wife open door angry presents substantial bill demanding payment milk poet refusal provide family getting proper job stands open save mouse near door dog steals family food plate obvious elements painting reveal poet personality ideas poem attempting write entitled suggests poet lives fantasy world wife child hungry published poem poet struggles impoverished aspiring poet mind produced picture earlier impressions showed poem poverty poem hinted connection written cave poverty poem written imitation shakespeare poet dreams suggested map hangs head entitled view gold mines peru replacing image pope appears earlier states print poet self interest hinted presence pipe tobacco window beer sitting chair room lace drying fire ill fitting wig gentleman sword lying feet despite family circumstances refuses personal pleasures effects alternatively fantasy earning fortune art require keeps required fantasies realized scene shown poet probably inspired satirical poem likely matter second version published pope confirmed authorship original painting early states print included quotation pope work books sinking thought thought vast profound sense found wrote mere despair bill stuck wall poet head originally featured reference pope mocked pope alexander depicted wearing papal ass prime minister initial states print kept quotation replaced genuine bill representation appears entirely invented copied real bill pope publication poet correspondence pope met literary inspiration led speculation identity poet targets pope satire author london spy strong contender lines quoted pope original print referred far pope questionable original bill mocked featured image fun poor poet subject suggesting poet showing contempt pope placed pope image head model second image shows pope locked battle clear upper hand time print issued direct reference pope removed completely modern authority suggests viewed pope roman catholicism having tied continental influences despised seen pope refusal accept patronage great men time friends rewards offer pope circle included 3rd earl displaced father law commissions ties possible target satire illustrations produced subscription edition works shakespeare suggests real villain poet pope unseen representing successful great poet aspiring artist hopes emulate distressed poet featured pope picking pocket foreground print early print produced theme pope gay invested money scheme time satire painting poet distressed going pope lines pope referring hero characterisation street hack stereotype popular denoting man limited writing ability lived poverty pursued career literature particular depicted painting fraternity banded protest pope poem context sense poet anti pope print emblem pope fight hack writers patron picture wall aspiring poet picture hero anti pope print emblem words identifies poet battle men wit acquainted struggles street hack father richard unable living writer eventually ended fleet prison bankrupt sympathetic struggling rhymes biography gradual alteration prints poet head suggest slow attitudes pope attack class writer father belonged evidence making successful
The Distrest Poet