Lady Booby attempts to seduce the immaculate Joseph, from "The Adventures of Joseph Andrews, and His Friend Mr. Abraham Adams"

Art Historical Context

This 1792 etching captures a lively scene from Henry Fielding’s 1742 novel *The Adventures of Joseph Andrews*, a satirical response to Samuel Richardson’s *Pamela*. In the image, the virtuous footman Joseph resists the determined advances of his widowed employer, Lady Booby, who has summoned him to her bedroom. The composition highlights the comic reversal of traditional seduction tropes, with Joseph’s steadfast “immaculate” character contrasting Lady Booby’s frustrated desire. Created through the delicate lines of etching—a medium well suited for wide circulation—the print reflects the era’s thriving culture of illustrated novels and visual satire. Artists such as Thomas Rowlandson often used this accessible technique to bring literary humor into everyday homes, poking gentle fun at social pretensions and moral posturing. The small scale invites close viewing, rewarding the observer with witty details of expression and gesture. As part of the Metropolitan Museum’s collection of prints, the work offers a charming glimpse into late-eighteenth-century British taste, where literature, laughter, and lighthearted social commentary went hand in hand.

About the Artist

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

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