The Effects of British Valour on the French Directory
November 1, 1798
Medium
Hand-colored etching and aquatint
Dimensions
Sheet: 12 13/16 × 15 15/16 in. (32.6 × 40.5 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
59.533.537
Tags
Art Historical Context
Created in 1798 by renowned British caricaturist Thomas Rowlandson, in collaboration with publisher Rudolph Ackermann and possibly referencing politician Charles James Fox, *The Effects of British Valour on the French Directory* is a hand-colored etching and aquatint. Measuring about 13 by 16 inches, this vibrant print from the Metropolitan Museum of Art's Drawings and Prints department exemplifies the satirical bite of late 18th-century British graphic art. Aquatint allowed for rich tonal gradients, while hand-coloring brought exaggerated expressions and chaotic scenes to life, amplifying the...
About the Artist
Thomas Rowlandson|Charles James Fox|Rudolph Ackermann, London · 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...