Who painted Puss in Boots, or General Junot taken by Surprise?

Puss in Boots, or General Junot taken by Surprise was painted by Thomas Rowlandson in 1811.

Where can I see Puss in Boots, or General Junot taken by Surprise?

Puss in Boots, or General Junot taken by Surprise is held by National Gallery of Art.

What movement is Puss in Boots, or General Junot taken by Surprise?

Puss in Boots, or General Junot taken by Surprise is associated with Romanticism.

Artwork

Puss in Boots, or General Junot taken by Surprise

Thomas Rowlandson , 1811

Puss in Boots, or General Junot taken by Surprise is an ink print by the Romanticist artist Thomas Rowlandson. It dates from 1811 and is held in the collection of the National Gallery of Art.

About this work

Overview

Thomas Rowlandson’s hand‑coloured etching *Puss in Boots, or General Junot taken by Surprise* dates to 1811. Executed in the early nineteenth‑century British print market, the work combines line etching with applied colour, a common practice for satirical prints intended for a broad audience.

Subject & Meaning

The image presents a woman in a white, polka‑dot dress and a black hat, brandishing a sword while a man in a red hat sits nearby. Her startled expression and the man’s mixture of shock and amusement suggest a comic tableau, likely parodying a contemporary political or military episode involving the French General Junot.

Technique & Style

Rowlandson employed a traditional copper‑plate etching, later hand‑coloured with watercolor pigments to achieve vivid reds, greens and yellows. The composition is dynamic, with diagonal lines and bold contrasts that heighten the sense of movement and drama, hallmarks of his caricatural approach.

History & Provenance

Created during Rowlandson’s prolific period of political satire, the print was produced for sale in the bustling London market for cheap, popular prints. While specific ownership records are sparse, the work survives in several public collections, attesting to its circulation as a topical commentary of its time.

Artist & collection

Artist

Thomas Rowlandson

Thomas Rowlandson (; 13 July 1757 – 21 April 1827) was an English artist and caricaturist of the Georgian Era, noted for his political satire and social observation.