A Bill of Fare for Bond Street Epicures!!

Art Historical Context

Step into the witty world of Regency-era satire with *A Bill of Fare for Street Epicures!!*, hand-colored etching published on October 25, 1808. Created by caricaturist Thomas Rowland, with contributions from designer George Murgatroyd and publisher Thomas Tegg this print measures 9½ × 12⅝ inches and exemplifies the vibrant tradition of British satirical prints. Displayed in the Metropolitan Museum of Art's Drawings Prints department, it skewers the extravagant tastes of Bond Street's fashionable elite—those "epicures" indulging in the latest trends with gourmet-like relish. Rowlandson's signature style blends sharp social commentary with exaggerated, humorous figures, often targeting women's fashions and London's high society. Here, the hand-coloring technique—applied by hand after etching—brings vivid life to the scene, heightening its appeal for a middle-class audience eager for scandalous laughs. Bond Street, a hub of luxury shops in early 19th-century London, becomes a feast for mockery, reflecting Regency anxieties over consumerism and gender roles amid Napoleonic Wars and social upheaval. This gem from The Elisha Whittelsey Collection captures caricature's cultural power: not just entertainment, but a mirror to fleeting vanities, reminding us how art pokes fun at excess across centuries.

About the Artist

Thomas Rowlandson|Thomas Tegg|George Murgatroyd Woodward · 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...