The Apostate Jack Robinson, The Political Rat Catcher–N.B. Rats Taken Alive!
Original title: The Apostate Jack Robinson, The Political Rat Catcher–N.B. Rats Taken Alive!
kurzbeschreibung
Thomas Rowlandson's hand-colored etching of 1784 presents Jack Robinson, the turncoat, as a political rat catcher. The central figure hands out coins to rats with human features, who eagerly take the money. The print thus mocks political corruption and vote-buying in eighteenth-century England.
Description
A figure dressed in blue kneels at the middle of the image, letting coins fall from one hand to the ground, where a number of rats stand upright and scramble to gather the coins. Behind him appears a wall bearing the word "Treasury", to which a paper with a list is attached. A sign above the man's head labels him "Political Rat Catcher". A cat crouches on a beam above, watching what happens. The arrangement is lively and centers on the exchange between the money-giver and the rats.
Context
The caricature appeared shortly before the British general election of 1784, a time when political corruption and vote-buying were commonplace. Rowlandson was known for his satirical portrayals of public life. The title refers to Jack Robinson, a historical figure regarded as a political turncoat. That the rats here accept coins points to the purchasable political allegiance of the era.
Impact
The drastic visual language of the caricature strikes directly and pointedly. Money, rats and the portrayal of political machinations combine into a bitterly sharp yet easily grasped statement. The vivid coloring and exaggerated poses heighten the satirical effect.
Technique
Etching, afterward colored by hand. Precise lines and characteristic hatching define Rowlandson's style. The handcrafted coloring gives figures and space liveliness and sharpness.
AI-generated description text
Source: Metropolitan Museum of Art · Public Domain (CC0 1.0)