Artwork
The Times
The Times is an ink print by the Romanticist artist Thomas Rowlandson. It dates from 1783 and is held in the collection of the National Gallery of Art.
About this work
Overview
Thomas Rowlandson’s hand‑coloured etching *The Times* dates to circa 1783. Executed in the popular satirical print format of late‑eighteenth‑century Britain, the work combines line etching with applied colour, a technique that allowed rapid dissemination of political commentary.
Subject & Meaning
The central figure, a woman dressed in blue and wearing a helmet, balances a scale and brandishes a sword, iconography traditionally linked to justice or liberty. Opposite her, a man in a red coat is being restrained, suggesting the arrest or accountability of a powerful individual. A columned backdrop capped with a crown reinforces the theme of state authority.
Technique & Style
Rowlandson employed a fine etched line to outline the crowded scene, then added hand‑applied watercolour washes for emphasis. The composition is dense, with multiple characters interacting in a theatrical manner, characteristic of Georgian caricature that blends narrative detail with exaggerated expression.
History & Provenance
Created during the height of the Georgian satirical print boom, the etching aligns with Rowlandson’s prolific output of political caricatures and book illustrations. It circulated alongside works by contemporaries such as James Gillray, contributing to a vibrant market for visual commentary on current events.
Context
*The Times* reflects the broader cultural climate of the 1780s, when public debate over governance, liberty, and justice was intensifying in Britain. Satirical prints served as a visual newspaper, shaping public opinion through humor and allegory.
Legacy
Rowlandson’s prints, including this piece, helped establish the visual language of political satire that would influence later British cartoonists. The work remains a reference point for scholars studying the interplay of art, politics, and public discourse in the Georgian era.
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.
