Rowlandson, Thomas

(7/1756 London-4/22/1827 London) (England)

   Cartoonist, etcher, engraver, painter, draughtsman, and watercolorist. He trained at the Royal Academy in London and at the Ecole de l'Academie Royale i Paris. Perhaps the most influential satiricist in the late 18th and early 19th century England. He began as a painter of portraits and landscapes, but soon turned to printmaking. Influenced by Hogarth, he was a precursor to Daumier. He produced book illustrations for the likes of Smollett, Fielding, and Goldsmith. His work was immensely popular and he was published frequently. His satirical look at English life including the foibles of sexual relationships.

   Reproductions: The ancestor; Wagner, 1986: p. 178 . The ancients; c1810; engraving; Bentley, 1984: p. 84 . Beauty inclining; engraving; Lorenzoni, 1984a: p. 18 [C]. College refreshment; engraving; Lorenzoni, 1984a: p. 25 [C]. Concert; engraving; Hurwood, 1975: p. 239 [B] / Lorenzoni, 1984a: p. 33 [C] / Bentley, 1984: p. 99 [B]. The congregation; engraving; Lorenzoni, 1984a: p. 34 [C]. Country gentleman freshly mounted; engraving; Lorenzoni, 1984a: p. 19 [C]. Country outing; Melville, 1973: p. 22 [B]. [Couple copulating standing]; watercolor; Kron-huasen, 1970c: 5 [B]. [Couple on a couch] water-color; Kronhuasen, 1970c: 5 [B]. [Couple recumbent in forest setting]; Hill, 1992: p. 37 [C]. [Cuckold husband]; watercolor; Kronhuasen, 1970c: p. 4 [B]. Curiosity seekers; c1810; engraving; Bentley, 1984: p. 96 [B]. Curious courtesan; Loren-zoni, 1984a: p. 44 [C]. Curious parson; Wagner, 1986: p. 182 [C] / Lorenzoni, 1984a: p. 35 [C]. Curious wanton; 1800; Klinger, 1985a: fig. 49 [B]. Departure of the husband; c1815; Webb, 1975: p. 150 [B]. Der Trost der Vereinsamten; c1800: Wagner, 1986: p. 192 [C]. The discovery; Lorenzoni, 1984a: p. 46 [C]. The exhibition; Lucie-Smith 1997: p. 95 [C]. Exhibition stare-case; 1811; Wagner, 1986: p. 190 [C]. French dancer at a morning rehearsal; engraving; Hurwood, 1975: p. 240 [B] / Lorenzoni, 1984a: p. 32 [C]. Fumble cunt (or Age does not bring wisdom); engraving; Lorenzoni, 1984a: p. 22 [C]. The gallop; engraving; Loren-zoni, 1984a: p. 26 [C]. Grand review of the Windsor camp; Wagner, 1986: p. 191 [C]. A hairy look (or the terror-stricken devil; Wagner, 1986: p. 187 [C] / Klinger, 1985a: fig. 46 [B] / Lorenzoni, 1984a: p. 47 [B]. Happy parons; Lorenzoni, 1984a: p. 36 [C]. The harem; 1808-1817; lithograph; Olley, 2005: p. 39 [C] / Lorenzoni, 1984a: p. 40 [C]. Helpless desire; Wagner, 1986: p. 177 [C]. Inexperienced yokel; engraving; Lorenzoni, 1984a: p. 29 [C]. The inspection; Lorenzoni, 1984a: p. 35 [C] / Wagner, 1986: p. 184 [C]. Intercourse with a nun; c1810; engraving; Bentley, 1984: p. 40 [B]. Intruder; c1810; engraving; Bentley, 1984: p. 99 [B]. Joyous picking; Lorenzoni, 1984a: p. 45 [C]. Juggler; Hurwood, 1975: p. 242 [B]. Jugglers; engraving; Lorenzoni, 1984a: p. 31 [C]. Larking cull; 1800; Klinger, 1985a: fig. 45 [B]. Lively prank; Lorenzoni, 1984a: p. 43 [C]. Lonesome pleasures; Lorenzoni, 1984a: p. 35 [C] / Wagner, 1986: p. 185 [C]. Love feast; Hur- wood, 1975: p. 189 [B]. Love in the bath; Lorenzoni, 1984a: p. 46 [C]. Love on a bicycle; Wagner, 1986: p. 179 [C]. Love play [on a swing]; c1810; aquatint; Hurwood, 1975: p. 32 [B] / Bentley, 1984: p. 95 [B]. Lovers; c1810; engraving; Bentley, 1984: p. 103 [B]. [Lovers]; watercolor; Smith, 1974: p. v, 17 [C]. Love's labour; pen and ink; Bonhams, 1987: p. 13 [B]. Man of feeling; Wagner, 1986: p. 189 [B]. Meditations among the tombs; c1815-1820; Webb, 1975: p. 151 [B]. The miser; engraving; Lorenzoni, 1984a: p. 33 [C]. Modern Pygmalion; Lorenzoni, 1984a: p. 11 [C]. The observers; Lust, Wagner, 1986: p. 181 [C] / Lorenzoni, 1984a: p. 40 [C]. Old client; Lucie-Smith, 1972: p. 104 [B]. The old husband; Wagner, 1986: p. 175 [C] / Lorenzoni, 1984a: p. 36 [C]. [Old man taking snuff as he enters a woman]; Hill, 1992: p. 65 [C]. The onlooker; engraving; Lorenzoni, 1984a: p. 28 [C]. The operation; engraving; Lorenzoni, 1984a: p. 24 [C]. The outposts of a camp; Lorenzoni, 1984a: p. 38 [C] / Wagner, 1986: p. 188 [C]. Pasha in his harem;c1810; aquatint; Hurwood, 1975: p. 147 [B] / Wagner, 1986: p. 178 [C] / Lorenzoni, 1984a: p. 41 [C] / Bentley, 1984: p. 98 [B]. Ride to Rumford; Lorenzoni, 1984a: p. 41 [C]. Rural felicity of love in a chaise; engraving; Lorenzoni, 1984a: p. 27 [C]. Rural knights, or the Englishmen in Paris; c1810; aquatint; Bentley, 1984: pp. 102-103 [B]. Sailor's farewell; penk ink, wash; 1798: Bonhams, 1987: p. 13 [B]. The sanctified sinner; 1800; engraving; Lorenzoni, 1984a: p. 9 [C] / Wagner, 1986: p. 176 [C] / Klinger, 1985a: fig. 42 [B]. Spy glass; Melville, 1973: fig. 136 [B]. The stargazer; c1810; engraving; Lorenzoni, 1984a: p. 36 [C] / Bentley, 1984: pp. 102-103 [B]. Statuary's yard; watercolor, pen and ink; Tilly, 1986: p. 26 [C]. Such things are, or a peep into Kensington Gardens; c1810; engraving; Bentley, 1984: p. 94 [B]. The sultan; 1808-1817; lithograph; Olley, 2005: p. 38 [C]. Susannah and the elders; 1820s; engraving; Tilly, 1986: p. 10 [B] / Lorenzoni, 1984a: p. 34 [C] / Wagner, 1986: p. 183 [C]. The swing; Wagner, 1986: p. 180 [C] / Loren-zoni, 1984a: pp. 39, 42 [C]. Sympathy I; engraving; Lorenzoni, 1984a: p. 24 [C]. Sympathy II; engraving; Lorenzoni, 1984a: p. 21 [C]. Symptons of sanctity; 1801; Wagner, 1986: p. 193 [C]. The tambourine; Lorenzoni, 1984a: p. 37 [C]. Timely visit; c1810; aquatint; Bentley, 1984: p. 37 [B]. The toss off; 1800; engraving; Lorenzoni, 1984a: p. 9 [C] / Klinger, 1985a: fig. 44 [B]. Unexpected visit; engraving; Lorenzoni, 1984a: p. 23 [C]. Wanton frolic; 1810; Webb, 1975: p. 148 [B] / Klinger, 1985a: fig. 43 [B]. Willing fair; 1800; Klinger, 1985a: fig. 47 [B] / Wagner, 1986: p. 186 [C].

   [b]Source: Amourous illustrations of Thomas Rowlandson (S.l.: Cythera Press, 1969); Benezit, vol. 12: pp. 55-57; Das erotische Werk des Thomas Rowlandson (Funfzig erotische Grotesken) (Vienna, s.d.); DoA vol. 27: pp. 277-279; N. Hill, "The erotic art of Thomas Rowlandson," Penthouse 9, 1 (1975): pp. 18-22; Kurt von Meier, The forbidden erotica of Thomas Rowlandson (Los Angeles: Hogarth Guild, 1970); Thomas Rowlandson, Pretty little games for young ladies and gentlemen: with pictures of good old English sports and pastimes (New York: Land's End, 1969); Gerd Unverfehrt (ed.), Thomas Rowlandson: allerlei Liebe: erotische Graphik, Die Bibliophilen Taschenbucher, no 190 (Dortmund: Harenberg, 1980); ThB XXIX 1935: p. 127.