The Modern Egbert, or The King of Kings

Art Historical Context

This 1789 etching, titled *The Modern Egbert, or The King of Kings*, captures the lively world British political caricature during the Georgian era. Created by Thomas Rowland, one of the period’s most celebrated satirists, the print uses the medium’s sharp lines and forms to lampoon figures of. The title references Egbert, the Anglo-Saxon king who united early English realms, suggesting a humorous commentary on contemporary claims to authority. The scene incorporates sailing motifs and depicts prominent statesmen including William Pitt, Henry Dundas, and George Nugent Temple Grenville, alongside legal and royal personalities such as Edward Thurlow and the future George IV. Produced just months before the French Revolution’s full impact reached Britain, the work reflects a moment of domestic political tension and royal scrutiny. Etchings like this circulated widely, allowing the public to engage with current events through wit and visual exaggeration. Rowlandson’s lively composition blends portraiture with nautical symbolism, underscoring the precarious “voyage” of governance. Now part of the Metropolitan Museum’s Elisha Whittelsey Collection, the print remains a vivid reminder of how graphic satire shaped public discourse in eighteenth-century Britain.

About the Artist

Edward Thurlow, 1st Baron Thurlow|George IV, King of Great Britain and Ireland|Thomas Rowlandson|George Nugent Temple Grenville, 1st Marquess of Buckingham|William Pitt|Henry Dundas, 1st Viscount Melville (British|British|British) · 1759 |1731 |1757 –1806 |1806 |1827

British, 1759–1806|British, Norfolk 1731–1806 Brighton|British, London 1757–1827 London