A Spanish Cloak
March 2, 1812
Medium
Hand-colored etching
Dimensions
Sheet: 13 1/2 × 9 5/8 in. (34.3 × 24.5 cm)
Classification
Prints
Department
Drawings and Prints
Museum
Metropolitan Museum of Art, New York, NY
Credit
The Elisha Whittelsey Collection, The Elisha Whittelsey Fund, 1959
Accession Number
59.533.1489
Tags
Art Historical Context
Thomas Rowlandson, a master of British caricature during the Regency era, created *A Spanish Cloak* in 1812, a hand-colored etching published by Tegg. This lively print, measuring 13½ × 9⅝ inches, captures Rowlandson's signature satirical style—exaggerated figures, witty details, and a touch of bawdy humor. The hand-coloring adds vibrant life to the black-and-white etching, a popular in early 19th-century London print shops, making these affordable satires accessible to a wide audience beyond the elite. Set against the backdrop of the Napoleonic Wars, particularly Britain's Peninsular Campaig...
About the Artist
Thomas Rowlandson|Thomas Tegg · 1756–1827
Thomas Rowlandson (1757–1827) was an English artist and caricaturist whose satirical watercolors and prints captured the social life of Georgian Britain with unparalleled wit and technical mastery. Alongside James Gillray, he is recognized as one of the greatest British graphic artists, and his distinctive flowing line and keen observations have made his work integral to understanding late 18th an...