Thomas Rowlandson

Signed l.l.: T. Rowlandson., pen and grey ink and watercolour over traces of pencil on laid paper

17 x 21.1 cm

Provenance
Leger Galleries, November 1967;
Dr E. Wilkes

Exhibited
Sheffield City Art Galleries, ‘Local Heritage’, 17 April 1970 - 7 May 1970, no. 67

Engraved
by Samuel Alken as the fourth of four images relating to dining published as a single sheet with the title ‘Different Sensations’ (with subtitles: Preparing for Supper; Waiting for Dinner, At Dinner and After Dinner), 22 October 1789; reissued in 1792 by S.W. Fores

Rowlandson drew portly diners and gouty gourmands throughout his career. This fine drawing can be dated to circa 1785-9 and shows a maid preparing the diner for his meal. I am grateful to Nick Knowles for his comments about the etching of this subject, notably his view that Rowlandson made the image for the etching in 1792 rather than Samuel Alken who issued the print.