Joseph and His Mistress 1771

Matthew Darly's satirical print, "Joseph and His Mistress," from 1771 depicts a young man being propositioned by an older, grotesquely caricatured woman. The print plays on the themes of love, lust, and social satire prevalent in the 18th century. The artwork, now housed at the Metropolitan Museum of Art in New York, reveals the artist's skill in capturing the social commentary of the time through exaggerated features and expressions. This print is a prime example of the "caricature" genre that gained popularity in the 18th century and reflected the social and political anxieties of the time.