Out of Fits, or the Recovery to the Satisfaction of All Parties

Art Historical Context

**Out of Fits, or Recovery to the Satisfaction of Parties** is a lively satirical etching created on May 5, 1786, by George Townly Stubbs and published by S.W.ores, a prominent figure in London's print trade. Measuring 11 1/16 x 15 1/8 inches, this work belongs to the Metropolitan Museum Art's Drawings and Prints collection, acquired through the Harris Brisbane Dick Fund 1917. Etching, with its sharp lines and tonal depth achieved through acid biting into a metal plate, was ideal for the exaggerated expressions and bustling compositions favored in 18th-century caricature. Set against the backdrop of Georgian Britain's vibrant satirical culture, the print pokes fun at social dynamics involving men, women, and dogs—likely depicting a chaotic domestic "recovery" from hysterics or a comedic mishap, resolving to everyone's amusement. Titles like this one often riffed on theater farces or everyday scandals, reflecting the era's obsession with manners, marriage, and mischief amid rapid urbanization and political upheaval. This piece exemplifies how affordable etchings democratized satire, allowing middle-class viewers to chuckle at upper-class follies. Fores's shop was a hub for such biting commentary, making prints like this enduring windows into 1780s wit and whimsy.