Description: Auction description The Miserable Dinner, Original Thomas Rowlandson Print ca. 1810, Antique Frame Here's an original print with coloring by the great English satirist Thomas Rowlandson (1757-1827), housed in an antique, 19th century frame. We are over two centuries before Seinfeld and Larry David, but the mocking spirit is kind of similar... The title is "Miseries of the Table." We are at a dinner party in an affluent home. Dinner has just been served, but all the guest are repelled by what has just come out of the kitchen. "Four men and two ladies are seated at dinner, a small child on each side of the host (left). A footman (right) brings in a steaming haunch of venison, followed by a fat maid-servant with a second dish. All the diners register extreme disgust," writes the British Museum, which possesses a copy of this print. Ours has evidently been extracted from a book "Miseries of human life," published in 1807. Here's the text that appears beneath Rowlandson's illustration: "Inviting a friend (whom you know to be particularly fond of the dish) to partake of a fine hare, haunch, &c. which you have endeavoured to keep exactly to the critical moment, but which is no sooner brought in than the whole party, with one nose, order it to be taken out." All this gives resonance to our adjective "gamey," which, when used to describe meat from the hunt, means that the food is "off." Dimensions of the picture are about 4.5 inches by 6.5 inches, with a French-style mat, and housed in an antique wood frame (mid nineteenth century, I estimate) measuring about 7.6 inches by 9.6 inches (no glass). The frame has a few dings but is sturdy. The print has toned a little. We find Rowlandson's name, lower right. At the bottom there is a manuscript dedication in Spanish (!). Rowlandson's "Miseries" illustrations seem to have been quite popular, and I see auction records for some of them in the hundreds of dollars. This one, in a tasty old frame, with an excellent all-around antique "vibe," is priced modestly. Shipping will be $12 within the U.S.. And to see what else I have for sale, please click here.
Price: 49.99 USD
Location: Amesbury, Massachusetts
End Time: 2024-12-15T21:24:09.000Z
Shipping Cost: 12 USD
Product Images
Item Specifics
All returns accepted: ReturnsNotAccepted
Artist: Thomas Rowlandson
Image Orientation: Landscape
Signed: Signed
Date of Creation: 1800-1899
Original/Licensed Reprint: Original
Framing: Framed
Subject: Figures & Portraits
Print Surface: Paper
Listed By: Dealer or Reseller
Framed/Unframed: Framed
Type: Print
Year of Production: 1810
Original/Reproduction: Original Print
Style: romantic
Print Type: etching
