Racing
c. 1812
Medium
Hand-colored etching on ivory wove paper
Dimensions
Image: 23 × 34 cm (9 1/16 × 13 7/16 in.); Plate: 24.3 × 35 cm (9 5/8 × 13 13/16 in.); Sheet: 25.5 × 39 cm (10 1/16 × 15 3/8 in.)
Classification
etching
Department
Prints and Drawings
Museum
Art Institute of Chicago
Accession Number
44628
Rights
Public Domain
Art Historical Context
Thomas Rowlandson's *Racing*, created around 1812, is a lively handcolored etching that captures the excitement of horse racing, a beloved pastime in early 19th-century Britain. Rowlandson, a leading British caricaturist of the Georgian and Regency periods, specialized in satirical yet affectionate scenes of everyday social life, often infusing his works with humor, energy, and sharp observation of human behavior. The etching technique, which involves drawing through a wax ground on a metal plate before acid etching, allowed Rowlandson to achieve fluid, expressive lines that convey motion and crowd dynamism. Hand-coloring with watercolors on ivory wove paper added vibrant, individualized touches typical of popular prints of the era, making them more appealing to collectors and broadening their reach. This work reflects the cultural prominence of racing as a social event that drew mixed crowds, highlighting Rowlandson's skill in documenting contemporary leisure with artistic flair. Now in the Art Institute of Chicago, it stands as a fine example of British printmaking that blended entertainment with social commentary.
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...