St. Valentine's Day or John Bull intercepting a Letter to his Wife
February 23, 1809
Medium
Hand-colored etching
Dimensions
Sheet: 15 5/8 × 10 7/16 in. (39.7 × 26.5 cm) Plate: 13 11/16 × 9 5/8 in. (34.8 × 24.5 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
59.533.1300
Tags
Art Historical Context
This hand-colored etching, created by British artist Thomas Rowlandson and publisher Thomas Tegg in February 1809, offers a witty satirical glimpse into early 19th-century British life. Titled *St. Valentine’s Day or John Bull intercepting a Letter to his Wife*, the print uses the familiar figure of John Bull—England’s stout, no-nonsense everyman—to explore themes of politics, romance, and domestic intrigue. Rowlandson, a leading caricaturist of the Georgian era, frequently blended humor with social commentary in his works. The timing of the print, released just after Valentine’s Day, playful...
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...