Hostess Discharges a Pan of Blood into the Face of Parson Andrews, from "The Adventures of Joseph Andrews, and his friend Mr. Abraham Adams"

Art Historical Context

This 1792 etching captures a lively, comedic moment from Henry Fielding’s 1742 novel *The Adventures of Joseph Andrews*. In the scene, a kitchen hostess hurls a pan of blood toward Parson Adams, creating the kind of chaotic, farcical mishap that made Fielding’s picaresque tale popular with eighteenth-century readers. The small print, measuring just over four by six inches, was designed to accompany the text, allowing audiences to visualize the novel’s humorous episodes of mistaken identity and social satire. Thomas Rowlandson, working with publisher James Sibbald, employed the etching technique to produce crisp lines and lively shading that suited the story’s energetic tone. As a widely reproduced medium, such prints helped spread literary imagery beyond elite circles, turning books into shared cultural experiences. Today the work resides in the Metropolitan Museum of Art’s collection of drawings and prints, offering visitors a glimpse into how visual art and literature intertwined in Georgian England.

About the Artist

Henry Fielding|James Sibbald|Thomas Rowlandson (British|British) · 1707 |1757 –1754 |1827

British, 1707–1754|British, London 1757–1827 London