Street Scene: Vendor of Brushes
1780–1827
Medium
Watercolor
Dimensions
Sheet: 4 15/16 x 3 7/16 in. (12.6 x 8.8 cm)
Classification
Drawings
Department
Drawings and Prints
Museum
Metropolitan Museum of Art, New York, NY
Credit
Bequest of Walter Carlebach, 1969
Accession Number
69.131.2
Tags
Art Historical Context
Thomas Rowlandson's *Street Scene: Vendor of* (ca. 1780–1827) captures the bustling energy of everyday Georgian London in a compact watercolor, measuring just under 5 by 3 ½ inches. The British artist's signature satirical eye brings to life a vendor hawking brushes amid a mix of men and women, their interactions brimming with the humor andacity that defined Rowlandson'satures. Known for his depictions of urban life, Rowlandson often poked gentle fun at social norms, turning ordinary moments into lively vignettes. Rendered in watercolor—a medium Rowlandson mastered for its fluid transparency ...
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...