St. James's and St. Giles's

Art Historical Context

"St. James's and St Giles's," a hand-colored etching published on December 1, 1791, by S.W. Fores with illustrations by Thomas Rowlandson and Wigstead, captures the social divides of late 18th-century London. Rowlandson, a master of caricature renowned for his, exaggerated depictions of British society, up here with Wigstead to contrast the elegant districts of St. James'shome to aristocracy and fashion—with the gritty slums of St. Giles, a notorious rookery of poverty near Seven Dials. The title alone evokes this juxtaposition, a staple theme in Georgian satire highlighting class disparities. This print exemplifies the booming hand-colored etching technique, where delicate aquatint or stipple engraving allowed vibrant hues to be added by hand, making affordable yet lively commentary accessible to a wide audience. Satirizing women across social strata, it pokes fun at vanity, excess, and hardship through Rowlandson's fluid lines and humorous distortions, reflecting the era's fascination with urban life amid the Industrial Revolution's upheavals. Housed in the Metropolitan Museum of Art's Drawings and Prints department (Harris Brisbane Dick Fund, 1917), this 9 9/16 × 6 1/8 in. gem offers a window into 1790s cultural critique, reminding visitors how art both entertained and provoked thought on inequality.

About the Artist

S. W. Fores|Thomas Rowlandson|Henry Wigstead · 1785–1825

**Samuel William Fores (1761–1838), often credited simply as S. W. Fores, was a leading English publisher and printseller whose Piccadilly shop became a landmark during the Golden Age of Georgian caricature.** Born on 8 March 1761, Fores was the son of a cloth merchant and stationer-bookseller. He was apprenticed to his father in 1775 and completed his training in 1782. The following year he esta...