Beauty and the Beast

18th–19th century

Not on view

A setting reminiscent of classical fable is used here to dramatize a moral dilemma relevant to the artist's day and to ours. A male satyr-peddler offers his treasures to a lovely woman. Her indecision about how to respond to his advances distresses an admirer who watches from a distance. The message is clear. Wealth is a powerful temptation to youthful beauty. The rapid execution and rough washes indicate the drawing was conceived as a preliminary study.

Artwork Details

Object Information

Overview

Provenance

Exhibition History

Title: Beauty and the Beast
Artist: Attributed to Thomas Rowlandson (British, London 1757–1827 London)
Date: 18th–19th century
Medium: Watercolor
Dimensions: sheet: 5 1/8 x 9 in. (13 x 22.9 cm)
Classification: Drawings
Credit Line: The Elisha Whittelsey Collection, The Elisha Whittelsey Fund, 1959
Object Number: 59.533.1653
Curatorial Department: Drawings and Prints

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Publisher Rudolph Ackermann, London
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