Stamp Office, Somerset House, from "Ackermann's Repository"
Medium
Classification
Department
Smithsonian Collection
Museum
Smithsonian American Art Museum
Credit
Gift of Hamill and Barker
Accession Number
1961-105-283
About this artwork
Research in Progress
Art Historical Context
Thomas Rowlandson’s 1809 print captures the bustling Stamp Office inside Somerset House, one of London’s grandest neoclassical buildings. Created as an aquatint for Rudolph Ackermann’s Repository of Arts, the image offers a glimpse into early nineteenth-century administrative life, where clerks processed the stamped paper required for legal documents, newspapers, and other official transactions. Rowlandson, celebrated for his lively caricatures and social commentary, brings the scene to life with animated figures and architectural detail, reflecting the Georgian era’s blend of elegance and eve...