Love Laughs at Locksmiths
August 20, 1811
Medium
Hand-colored etching
Dimensions
Sheet: 12 5/8 in. × 9 in. (32.1 × 22.8 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
59.533.1978
Tags
Art Historical Context
**Love Laughs at Locks** (1811) is a spirited hand-colored etching by Thomasson, the renowned British caricaturist satirical prints captured the foibles of Regency-era society. Created on August 20, 1811, during the indulgent reign of the Prince Regent, this 12 5/8 × 9 in. work exemplifies Rowlandson's mastery of etching—a printmaking technique where acid bites into a metal plate to create intricate lines—enhanced by vibrant hand-coloring to amplify its humorous punch. Housed in the Metropolitan Museum of Art's Drawings and Prints department, it draws from The Elisha Whittelsey Collection. Ro...
About the Artist
Thomas Rowlandson · 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...