Long Sermons and Long Sieges are apt to Lull the Senses

Art Historical Context

In this witty 1783 etching and aquat by Thomas Rowlandson, with printing by William Humphrey, titled *Long Sermons and Long Sie are apt to Lull Senses*, viewers encounter a classic slice of Georgian-era satire. Rowlandson, a master of humorous caricature in late 18th-century Britain depicts men and women succumbing to slumber amid a tedious sermon or military siege, with food elements adding a touch of everyday comic relief. The oversized sheet (10 1/8 × 17 5/16 in.) captures the scene's chaotic energy, poking fun at human frailty—how boredom from prolonged oratory or warfare dulls the senses, leading to unintended naps. Etching provided Rowlandson's sharp, expressive lines for exaggerated figures and expressions, while aquatint added tonal depth for subtle shading, making this affordable print medium ideal for satirical broadsheets popular among London's middle classes. Published just after the American Revolutionary War's Treaty of Paris, it slyly nods to wartime exhaustion ("long sieges") and enduring church critiques, reflecting Enlightenment-era skepticism toward authority. Held in the Metropolitan Museum of Art's Elisha Whittelsey Collection, this work exemplifies Rowlandson's enduring legacy in social commentary, blending levity with keen observation to entertain and provoke thought for over two centuries.