Chelsea Parade or a Croaking Member Surveying The Inside Outside and Backside of Mrs Clarke's Premises
March 4, 1809
Medium
Hand-colored etching
Dimensions
Sheet: 9 5/8 × 14 3/16 in. (24.4 × 36 cm) Plate: 9 9/16 × 13 11/16 in. (24.3 × 34.8 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
59.533.1310
Tags
Art Historical Context
This hand-colored etching, created on March 4, 1809, captures the lively spirit of early 19th-century British satire. Attributed to the celebrated caricaturist Thomas Rowlandson in collaboration with publisher Thomas Tegg, the print uses sharp visual humor to explore themes of politics, gender, and public scandal. Its title playfully references “Mrs. Clarke’s Premises,” hinting at contemporary gossip surrounding influential women and their connections to powerful men. Rowlandson’s distinctive style—fluid lines and exaggerated figures—brings the scene to life, inviting viewers to examine the “...
About the Artist
Thomas Rowlandson|Thomas Tegg|Mary Anne Clarke · 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...