A Tit Bit for the Bugs
Medium
Hand-colored etching
Dimensions
Sheet: 15 5/8 × 10 1/2 in. (39.7 × 26.6 cm) Plate: 14 3/4 × 10 1/2 in. (37.5 × 26.6 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
59.533.476
Tags
Art Historical Context
**A Tit Bit for the Bugs is a lively hand-colored etching created in 1793 by the renowned British caricaturist Thomas Rowlandson in collaboration with artist George Murgatroyd and publisher S.W. Fores. Measuring about 15⅝ × 10½ inches on its sheet, this print exemplifies the vibrant satirical tradition of late 18th-century England Hand-coloring, applied by skilled artisans after printing, brought Rowlandson's whimsical scenes to life with bold hues, making these affordable etchings highly sought-after souvenirs for a growing middle-class audience eager for humor. Dated May 25, 1793, amid the ...
About the Artist
Thomas Rowlandson|S. W. Fores|George Murgatroyd Woodward · 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...