Alexander
April 1814
Medium
Hand-colored etching, letterpress
Dimensions
Sheet: 18 1/4 × 11 5/16 in. (46.3 × 28.8 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
59.533.1588
Art Historical Context
Created in April 1814 by British caricaturist Thomas Rowlandson, this hand-colored etching titled *Alexander* captures a pivotal moment in European history. The date coincides with Tsar Alexander I’s triumphant entry into Paris following Napoleon’s abdication, marking the end of the Napoleonic Wars. Rowlandson, renowned for his witty political satire, often portrayed world leaders with a blend of admiration and gentle mockery, and this print likely reflects the widespread fascination with the Russian emperor among British audiences. The work combines etching with letterpress text, a popular m...
About the Artist
Tsar Alexander I|Thomas Rowlandson (Russian|British) · 1777 |1757 –1825 |1827
Russian, 1777–1825|British, London 1757–1827 London