The Mistake
August 1, 1809
Medium
Hand-colored etching
Dimensions
Plate: 13 3/16 × 8 7/16 in. (33.5 × 21.5 cm) Sheet: 16 5/16 × 10 1/2 in. (41.5 × 26.6 cm)
Classification
Prints
Department
Drawings and Prints
Museum
Metropolitan Museum of Art, New York, NY
Credit
The Elisha Whittelsey Collection, The Elisha Whittelsey Fund and Harris Brisbane Dick Fund, by Exchange, 1970
Accession Number
1970.541.37
Tags
Art Historical Context
Created in August 1809, *The Mistake* is a hand-colored etching by the celebrated British caricaturist Thomas Rowlandson, published by Thomas Tegg. Rowlandson was renowned for his witty observations of society, and this print exemplifies his sharp eye for social folly. The medium of etching, often hand-colored for wider distribution, allowed such satirical images to reach a broad audience through print shops and circulating libraries. The work captures the playful yet pointed spirit of early 19th-century British satire. Rowlandson’s fluid line work and exaggerated figures highlight the humor ...
About the Artist
Thomas Rowlandson|Thomas Tegg · 1756–1827
Thomas Rowlandson (1757–1827) was an English artist and caricaturist whose satirical watercolors and prints captured the social life of Georgian Britain with unparalleled wit and technical mastery. Alongside James Gillray, he is recognized as one of the greatest British graphic artists, and his distinctive flowing line and keen observations have made his work integral to understanding late 18th an...