Fashionable Portraits
published May 30, 1819
Medium
Hand-colored etching on paper
Dimensions
Image: 20 × 25 cm (7 7/8 × 9 7/8 in.); Plate: 20.7 × 25.7 cm (8 3/16 × 10 1/8 in.); Sheet: 21.3 × 26.3 cm (8 7/16 × 10 3/8 in.)
Classification
etching
Department
Prints and Drawings
Museum
Art Institute of Chicago
Accession Number
90167
Art Historical Context
George Cruikshank's *Fashionable Portraits*, on May 30, 1819, is a hand-colored etching that captures the extravagant world of Regency-era high society. As a leading British caricaturist,ikshank was renowned for his sharp satirical prints, often poking fun at the follies of the elite. This work exemplifies his style within the vibrant tradition of Georgian caricature, blending humor with keen social observation during a time of post-Napoleonic exuberance and evolving fashion trends. The etching measuring about 20 × 25 cm, depicts exaggerated portraits of dandies and fashionistas, highlighting...
About the Artist
George Cruikshank · 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 ...