Connoisseurs Examining a Collection of George Morland's
Gillray here burlesques the style of the recently deceased George Morland, who had specialized in rural subjects. Standing within a saleroom, four men cluster together as they examine a painting of large pigs lying near a thatched hut. The figures are probably the engraver and connoisseur Captain William Baillie, the banker Matthew Mitchell, Caleb Whitefoord and the collector George Baker. Slightly apart at right, the picture dealer and restorer Mortimer spits on a picture of a boar to clean it. Morland's naturalism contrasted markedly with the elevated style encouraged by the Royal Academy and used to paint history subjects, then considered high in art.
Artwork Details
- Title: Connoisseurs Examining a Collection of George Morland's
- Artist: James Gillray (British, London 1756–1815 London)
- Publisher: Hannah Humphrey (British, ca. 1745–1819)
- Subject: Captain William E. Baillie (Irish, Kilbride, County Carlow 1723–1810 London)
- Subject: George Baker (British, active late 18th–early 19th century)
- Subject: possibly John Julius William Angerstein (British, 1735–1823)
- Subject: Matthew Mitchell (British, active 1786–1807)
- Subject: George Morland (British, London 1763–1804 London)
- Subject: Mr. Mortimer (British, active 1786–1807)
- Subject: Caleb Whitefoord (British, Edinburgh, Scotland 1734–1810 London)
- Date: November 16, 1807
- Medium: Hand-colored etching and aquatint
- Dimensions: Sheet: 14 13/16 × 11 15/16 in. (37.7 × 30.4 cm)
- Classification: Prints
- Credit Line: Gift of Jill Spalding, 2022
- Object Number: 2022.309.3
- Curatorial Department: Drawings and Prints
More Artwork
A slider containing 5 items.
Press the down key to skip to the last item.
Press the down key to skip to the last item.
Multiple artists/makers
June 13, 1781
Multiple artists/makers
[1830]
James Gillray
June 19, 1780
Multiple artists/makers
after April 1785
James Gillray
Hannah Humphrey
July 16, 1805
Research Resources
The Met provides unparalleled resources for research and welcomes an international community of students and scholars. The Met's Open Access API is where creators and researchers can connect to the The Met collection. Open Access data and public domain images are available for unrestricted commercial and noncommercial use without permission or fee.
To request images under copyright and other restrictions, please use this Image Request form.
Feedback
We continue to research and examine historical and cultural context for objects in The Met collection. If you have comments or questions about this object record, please complete and submit this form. The Museum looks forward to receiving your comments.