An Old Poacher Caught in a Snare
June 19, 1823
Medium
Hand-colored etching
Dimensions
Sheet: 15 11/16 in. × 11 in. (39.8 × 27.9 cm) Plate: 13 7/8 × 9 13/16 in. (35.2 × 25 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
59.533.1779
Tags
Art Historical Context
In the lively world of Regency-era satire, Thomas Rowlandson, a master caricaturist, collaborated with publisher John Fairburn to create *An Old Poacher Caught in a Snare* on June 19, 1823. This hand-colored etching captures a chaotic moment of comeuppance: an elderly poacher ensnared, surrounded by figures expressing anger, fear, men, women, and snarling dogs. Measuring about 14 x 10 inches on the plate, its vibrant hand-applied colors amplify the humor and drama, making it a standout in affordable print culture. Rowlandson's work thrived in early 19th-century Britain, where poaching symboli...
About the Artist
John Fairburn|Thomas Rowlandson (British|British) · 1789 |1757 –1840 |1827
British, active 1789–1840|British, London 1757–1827 London