Modern Antiques c. 1811

"Modern Antiques" is a satirical hand-colored etching by Thomas Rowlandson, dating back to 1811. The artwork depicts a couple, likely a soldier and his partner, sneaking a kiss amidst a collection of Egyptian artifacts, highlighting the fashionable interest in antiquities during the Regency era. Rowlandson's signature style of caricature and exaggerated features lends a humorous and critical perspective to the social scene, making it a quintessential example of English satirical art from the period.