Peter Plumb's Diary
May 20, 1810
Medium
Hand-colored etching
Dimensions
Plate: 9 3/4 × 13 5/8 in. (24.8 × 34.6 cm) Sheet: 10 3/8 × 14 1/8 in. (26.3 × 35.8 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
59.533.1348
Tags
Art Historical Context
"Peter Plumb's Diary is a lively hand-colored etching created by the renowned British caricaturist Rowlandson and published by Thomas Tegg on 20, 1810. Measuring about 10 by 14 inches on its sheet, this print exemplifies the vibrant satirical tradition of Regency-era England, where artists like Rowlandson used humor to poke fun at social customs and human foibles. Hand-coloring, applied by skilled artisans after printing, added a playful vibrancy that made these affordable etchings popular among the middle classes, turning them into collectible commentary on contemporary life. The scene, infe...
About the Artist
Thomas Rowlandson|Thomas Tegg · 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...