The Horse Armoury in the Tower
January 1, 1800
Medium
Hand-colored etching
Dimensions
Sheet: 10 13/16 x 16 1/4 in. (27.5 x 41.3 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
59.533.682
Tags
Art Historical Context
Step into the grand Horse Armoury of the Tower of London with *The Horse Armoury in the*, a vibrant hand-colored etching by Thomas Rowlandson and published by Rudolph Ackermann in London on January 1, 1800. Rowlandson, a master of satirical caricature, captures a bustling crowd of men, boys, and visitors marveling at the imposing displays of horse armor, weapons, and equestrian gear. The scene teems with life—horses in full barding, gleaming suits of armor suspended dramatically, and spectators gawking in awe—evoking the Tower's enduring allure as a fortress-turned-museum of royal history. Th...
About the Artist
Thomas Rowlandson|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...