Progress of Gallantry or Stolen Kisses Sweetest
February 14, 1814
Medium
Hand-colored etching
Dimensions
Plate: 13 13/16 × 9 13/16 in. (35.1 × 24.9 cm) Sheet: 14 3/16 × 10 1/16 in. (36 × 25.6 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
59.533.1252
Tags
Art Historical Context
Created in 1814 by the acclaimed British caricaturist Thomas Rowlandson and published by Thomas Tegg, *Progress of Gallantry or St Kisses Sweetest* a hand-colored etching that captures the playful spirit of Regency-era romance through satire. This print, measuring about 14 by 10 inches, depicts amorous couples in various flirtatious encounters, with telescopes adding a humorous twist—perhaps poking fun at voyeuristic courtship or the era's obsession with gentlemanly pursuits. Released on February 14, just before Valentine's Day became popularized, it whimsically explores the "progress" of gall...