An Evening Party
February 3, 1826
Medium
Hand-colored etching and engraving
Dimensions
Image: 8 1/8 x 12 in. (20.6 x 30.5 cm) Plate: 8 1/4 x 12 5/16 in. (21 x 31.2 cm) Sheet: 9 7/8 x 13 3/4 in. (25.1 x 34.9 cm)
Classification
Prints
Department
Drawings and Prints
Museum
Metropolitan Museum of Art, New York, NY
Credit
Purchase, Harry G. Friedman Bequest, 1967
Accession Number
67.539.58
Rights
Public Domain
Tags
Art Historical Context
Created in 1826 by the renowned British caricaturist George Cruikshank in collaboration with publisher George Humphrey, *An Evening Party* offers a lively glimpse into Regency-era social life. This hand-colored etching and engraving captures a bustling gathering of men and women, reflecting the period’s fascination with fashionable assemblies, dancing, and conversation. Cruikshank, celebrated for his sharp satirical eye, used the accessible print medium to comment on contemporary manners and class dynamics. The technique of hand-colored etching and engraving was especially popular in early nineteenth-century Britain, allowing artists to reach wide audiences through affordable, reproducible imagery while adding vibrant hues by hand for visual impact. Measuring just over eight by twelve inches, the print’s intimate scale invites close viewing of its humorous details and expressive figures. As part of the Metropolitan Museum’s collection of works on paper, this piece highlights how prints served as both entertainment and social critique, preserving the energy and etiquette of 1820s London parties for modern viewers.
About the Artist
George Cruikshank|H.T.D.B.|George Humphrey · 1792–1878
George Cruikshank (1792–1878) was born in London on 27 September 1792, the son of Scottish caricaturist Isaac Cruikshank and Mary MacNaughton. His older brother, Isaac Robert Cruikshank, was also a caricaturist and illustrator, while his sister Eliza worked as a designer. From a young age, Cruikshank assisted his father in the studio, contributing titles, backgrounds, and lettering to cartoons by ...