Artwork
Rural Sports. Cat in a Bowl. No.1
Rural Sports. Cat in a Bowl. No.1 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-colored etching 'Rural Sports. Cat in a Bowl. No.1' dates to 1811. It is part of a series that humorously depicts animal behavior.
Subject & Meaning
The print shows a chaotic scene where a cat is chased across a stream by people in old-fashioned clothes. The title 'Cat in a Bowl' refers to a real, if unusual, 19th-century sport where participants tried to knock a cat into a bowl.
Technique & Style
The work is a hand-colored etching, a medium that allowed Rowlandson to produce detailed, satirical scenes. His style often blended caricature with broader cultural commentary, frequently incorporating bawdy or robust elements.
Context
Rowlandson's work was influenced by his role as a caricaturist and social commentator during the Georgian Era. He often used animal subjects to critique human foibles, reflecting his broader practice of satire.
Artist & collection
Artist
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.
