Sympathy, or A Family On A Journey Laying The Dust
July 12, 1784
Medium
Hand-colored etching
Dimensions
Sheet: 10 1/2 × 14 11/16 in. (26.6 × 37.3 cm) Plate: 9 7/8 × 13 11/16 in. (25.1 × 34.8 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
59.533.74(a)
Tags
Art Historical Context
In the bustling world of 18th-century Britain, Thomas Rowlandson, a master of satirical caricature, captured the absurdities of daily life with his hand-colored etching *Sympathy, or A On A Journey Laying Dust* (1784). Collaborating with J. Hedges, Rowlandson depicts a family on a dusty road trip, complete with men, women, dogs,, and a carriage—likely poking fun at the era's arduous travel by coach, when sprinkling water to settle road dust was a common, messy necessity. Published on July 12, 1784, this print reflects the Georgian fascination with mobility amid improving turnpikes, yet highlig...
About the Artist
J. Hedges|Thomas Rowlandson (British|British) · 1750 |1757 –1850 |1827
London|British, London 1757–1827 London