Taste (April 2, 1801, Met-Objekt 4311)
Original title: Taste
kurzbeschreibung
What sets this print apart from related sheets of its time is how Rowlandson's hand-colored etching 'Geschmack' (Taste) from 1801 pairs an exaggerated statue covered in numbers and letters with two male viewers. The motif becomes a parody of the contemporary art world and the way classical sculpture was received.
Description
On the left side of the sheet stands a grotesquely distorted statue, its face and shirt covered with irregular strokes, numbers, and letters. Facing it on the right are two men: the middle one wears a coat and head covering, the right one a hat and holds spectacles in his hand. A text panel in the background describes the statue. Fine shading and restrained colors attest to the hand coloring.
Context
Rowlandson, an English caricaturist and printmaker, was active in London around 1800. During a period when art criticism and the art market were gaining importance in Britain, his caricatures often took up current social and artistic debates. The date of April 2, 1801 suggests publication as a single sheet at that time.
Impact
Exaggerated facial features and the bizarre statue produce an immediate comic and satirical effect. The viewers' serious gaze stands in ironic contrast to the grotesque sculpture, inviting a smile. Thus the sheet prompts reflection on the artistic taste on display.
Technique
An etching that was subsequently colored by hand is presented here. Fine lines and hatching typical of late 18th-century printmaking characterize the sheet. Applied presumably in watercolor, the coloring lends the graphic lines additional liveliness.
AI-generated description text
Source: Metropolitan Museum of Art · Public Domain (CC0 1.0)