The Bassoon with a French Horn Accompaniment
May 16, 1811
Medium
Hand-colored etching
Dimensions
Sheet (trimmed within plate): 8 11/16 × 12 1/2 in. (22 × 31.8 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
59.533.2017
Tags
Art Historical Context
Thomas Rowlandson's *The Bassoon with a French Horn Accompaniment (1811), published by Thomas Tegg, a delightful example of Regency-era British satire captured in a hand-colored etching. Measuring about 8½ by 12½ inches, this print exemplifies Rowlandson's mastery of caricature, where exaggerated figures and witty scenarios lampooned social customs. Hand-coloring, a common enhancement for etchings at the time, added vibrant hues to heighten the humor, making these affordable prints hugely popular among the middle classes for their lively commentary on everyday life. The title playfully nods t...
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...