Veneration (Le Brun Travested, or Caricatures of the Passions)

Art Historical Context

This satirical etching from January 1800, created by George Murgatroyd Woodward and Thomas Rowlandson and published by Rudolph Ackermann in London, playfully reimagines Charles Le Brun’s influential 17th-century treatise on the “passions.” Titled *Veneration (Le Brun Travested, or Caricatures of the Passions)*, the print uses exaggerated facial expressions and gestures to poke fun at the idea that human emotions can be neatly categorized and depicted. Printed in brown ink on a modest sheet, it belongs to a long tradition of British caricature that thrived in the late Georgian period. Rowlandson and Woodward were masters of the genre, producing affordable etchings that circulated widely among London’s middle classes. Their collaboration here transforms Le Brun’s serious academic studies into lighthearted visual comedy, highlighting the absurdities of social behavior and self-importance. As a work on paper rather than a painting, the etching could reach a broad audience quickly, making pointed commentary on contemporary manners both accessible and entertaining. Today the print offers a charming window into how early 19th-century artists used humor and distortion to explore timeless themes of emotion and human folly.