Comparative Anatomy
published December 10, 1818
Medium
Hand-colored etching on paper
Dimensions
Image: 22.6 × 31.2 cm (8 15/16 × 12 5/16 in.); Sheet cut within platemark: 23.2 × 31.7 cm (9 3/16 × 12 1/2 in.)
Classification
etching
Department
Prints and Drawings
Museum
Art Institute of Chicago
Accession Number
89786
Art Historical Context
Isaac Robert Cruikshank’s “Comparative Anatomy published on December 10, 1818, offers a lively glimpse into the world of early nineteenth-century British caricature. As a hand-colored etching on paper, the work belongs to a medium prized for its sharp lines and ability to reach wide audiences through affordable prints. Cruikshank, a leading caricaturist of the Regency period, used etching’s precision to layer humorous detail, while the addition of watercolor brought vivid life to the scene. Created just three years after the end of the Napoleonic Wars, the print reflects Britain’s lively cult...