Six Classes of the Noble and Useful Animal a Horse
October 10, 1811
Medium
Hand-colored etching
Dimensions
Sheet: 13 7/8 × 9 5/8 in. (35.2 × 24.4 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
59.533.1945
Tags
Art Historical Context
Created in 1811 by the renowned English caricaturist Thomas Rowland and published by Thomas Tegg,Six Classes of the Noble Useful Animal a Horse* a hand-colored etching that captures the satirical spirit of Regency-era Britain. Measuring 13⅞ × 9⅝ inches, this print from the Metropolitan Museum of Art Elisha Whittelsey Collection exemplifies Rowlandson's mastery of exaggerated humor, poking fun at society's obsession with horses through six distinct "classes"—likely from noble racers to humble workhorses, intertwined with men and hunting scenes. Rowlandson, a key figure in the caricature boom o...
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...