Dissolution of Partnership, or the Industrious Mrs. Clarke Winding Up Her Accounts
February 15, 1809
Medium
Hand-colored etching
Dimensions
Sheet: 10 1/2 × 15 7/8 in. (26.7 × 40.4 cm) Plate: 9 5/8 × 13 3/4 in. (24.4 × 35 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
59.533.1302
Tags
Art Historical Context
This hand-colored etching from February 1809 captures a of public scandal through sharp satire. Titled *Dissolution of Partnership, or the Industrious Mrs. Clarke Winding Up Her Accounts*, the print portrays Mary Anne Clarke, the former mistress of the Duke of York, as she settles financial matters amid accusations of corruption. The work highlights themes of money, power, and gender, with Clarke shown actively managing accounts while male figures look on, reflecting the era’s fascination with high-society intrigue. Created in the medium of hand-colored etching—a popular technique for distrib...
About the Artist
Mary Anne Clarke|Thomas Tegg|Thomas Rowlandson (British|British|British) · 1776 |1757 |1776 –1852 |1827 |1846
British, London 1776?–1852 Boulogne|British, London 1757–1827 London|British, London 1776–1846 London