The infant Jones found in the bed of Mr. Allworthy, from "The History of Tom Jones, a Foundling"
Medium
Etching
Dimensions
Sheet: 4 15/16 × 7 1/8 in. (12.5 × 18.1 cm) Plate: 4 3/4 × 6 15/16 in. (12.1 × 17.7 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
59.533.560(1)
Tags
Art Historical Context
This 1792 etching captures a pivotal moment from Henry Fielding’s beloved 1749 novel *The History of Tom Jones, a Foundling*. The scene shows the discovery of an infant in the bed of the kind-hearted Squire Allworthy, setting the stage for the story of the foundling’s adventures and the social satire that unfolds around him. Through this intimate bedroom setting, the image highlights themes of chance, charity, and hidden identities that captivated eighteenth-century readers. Created by the noted caricaturist and illustrator Thomas Rowlandson, the print exemplifies the lively etching technique...
About the Artist
Henry Fielding|Thomas Rowlandson (British|British) · 1707 |1757 –1754 |1827
British, 1707–1754|British, London 1757–1827 London