Four Wheel Chaise (April 10, 1785, Met-Objekt 6061)
Original title: Four Wheel Chaise
kurzbeschreibung
Etched on 10 April 1785, Thomas Rowlandson's "Four Wheel Chaise" is a stipple etching measuring 12.6 × 20.3 cm. It presents a rural incident involving a horse-drawn carriage.
Description
A four-wheeled wagon covered with a canvas tilt, pulled by a horse, fills the middle of the image. Beside it rides a man, and a second animal stands at his horse's side. Trees and plants close off the view behind. Sketchy strokes and grey tones define the print; light falls evenly, with little in the way of strong shadow. The arrangement runs horizontally, and the wagon acts as its still point.
Context
Rowlandson was working in England in 1785, when stipple was widely used alongside plain etching as a means of reproduction. The vehicle points to travel and the transport of goods in the late eighteenth century. The artist was known for satirical, socially critical accounts of everyday life.
Impact
The rapid line gives the sheet a lively, immediate feel. Because the light is calm and evenly spread, the scene carries a cheerful, almost idyllic mood. Stipple produces a soft surface texture that holds the eye.
Technique
The plate for this print was etched and then worked with stipple dots. Tonal values can be graded finely this way, while the linework stays soft and full of detail. At the lower right the sheet bears the signature and date "Rowlandson 1784".
AI-generated description text
Source: Metropolitan Museum of Art · Public Domain (CC0 1.0)