A 19th Century color engraving of a young student speaking to his teacher in a classroom. Both appear to be stumped by a question and the boy is scratching his head with his left hand. It is entitled “The Schoolmaster and Scholar, Both Puzzled.” Also printed below the image is the caption: “But, Sir, If Wanst Naught Be Nothing, Then Twice Naught Must Be Something; For It’s Double What Wanst Naught Is.”
The engraving is based on an original painting by Erskine Nicol (1825-1904), an Irish-Scots figure painter. It was engraved expressly for Peterson’s magazine by Illman Brothers. This periodical was published in Philadelphia from 1842 – 1898 and focused on news and features of interest to women of that era.
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