You Dirty Boy Print Appraisal

Framed Pears' Soap Advertisement Print, 'You Dirty Boy!' (The Bubbles)

This item is a framed print of the iconic 'You Dirty Boy!' advertisement for Pears' Soap, depicting two young children, likely sisters, engaged in washing. The larger girl, with dark hair, wears a blue dress and a light-colored apron, leaning over a white basin set on a dark wooden chair. Her hands are in the basin, presumably helping the smaller child wash. The smaller child, with blonde hair, stands on a woven stool or cushion to reach the basin, wearing a red underskirt and a light-colored apron. Her black boots are visible. The caption 'Pears' Soap.' is prominently displayed in elegant, decorative script at the top of the image. The background suggests a domestic interior, possibly a kitchen or utility room, with a dark wooden table or sideboard and a doorway leading to another room. To the left of the chair, a stoneware jug or pitcher rests on the reddish-brown tiled floor, where a white cloth also lies. The print is housed in a simple, dark brown wooden frame with a subtle grain, and appears to be matted with a cream or off-white mat board, providing a border around the image. Visible condition issues include minor scuffs or wear on the wooden frame, consistent with age and handling. The print itself appears to be in good condition with no obvious tears, creases, or significant discoloration. The overall aesthetic points to an early 20th-century or late 19th-century advertising style, characteristic of Pears' Soap commercial art, which often featured heartwarming domestic scenes. The quality of the print reproduction suggests a mass-produced item, likely a reproduction of the original painting by William Charles Frith.