A Macaroni Dressing Room
June 26, 1772
Medium
Hand-colored etching
Dimensions
Plate: 9 13/16 × 13 7/8 in. (24.9 × 35.2 cm) Sheet: 10 3/4 × 15 3/16 in. (27.3 × 38.5 cm)
Classification
Prints
Department
Drawings and Prints
Museum
Metropolitan Museum of Art, New York, NY
Credit
The Elisha Whittelsey Collection, The Elisha Whittelsey Fund, 1971
Accession Number
1971.564.7
Tags
Art Historical Context
This hand-colored etching from 1772 offers a witty glimpse into the fashionable excesses of Georgian London. Created by Captain Minshull, with contributions from publisher Matthew Darly and engraver I.W., the print depicts the elaborate ritual of dressing among “macaronis”—young men who adopted flamboyant Italian-inspired styles, including towering powdered wigs, tight silk suits, and delicate accessories. The scene humorously captures their vanity and meticulous grooming, reflecting the era’s sharp social commentary on gender, class, and taste. In the 1770s, such satirical prints flourished ...
About the Artist
Captain Minshull|Matthew Darly|I.W. (British|British|British) · 1750 |1720 |1770 –1800 |1780 |1775
British, active 1772|British, ca. 1720–1780 London|British, active 1772