The Connoisseur
The leading late-eighteenth century satirist Rowlandson here uses delicate shades of gray, touched with pale pink and blue, to mock the contrasting desires of youth and age. Seated before a steaming urn, symbolizing passion, an elderly art enthusiast eagerly examines a group of miniatures. At the same time, a comely young woman and her maid take advantage of his diverted attention. The gentleman's literal shortsightedness acts as a visual pun, pointing to his inability to judge character and suggesting that he also possesses little knowledge of art.
Artwork Details
- Title: The Connoisseur
- Artist: Thomas Rowlandson (British, London 1757–1827 London)
- Date: 1780–1800
- Medium: Watercolor, pen and ink, brush and wash
- Dimensions: Sheet: 9 x 11 3/8 in. (22.9 x 28.9 cm)
- Classification: Drawings
- Credit Line: Rogers Fund, 1908
- Object Number: 08.227.16
- Curatorial Department: Drawings and Prints
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Thomas Rowlandson
1780–1827
Thomas Rowlandson
1780–1827
Thomas Rowlandson
1780–1827
Multiple artists/makers
January 1794
Thomas Rowlandson
late 18th–early 19th century
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