Modern Antiques c. 1811

Thomas Rowlandson created this hand-colored etching, *Modern Antiques*, during a time of significant social and political upheaval. The image is a satire on the era's obsession with collecting antiquities, set against the backdrop of the British Empire's expansion and cultural appropriation. Here, Rowlandson presents us with a scene that seems to question the boundaries of taste, class, and morality. We observe a couple, seemingly of high social standing, engrossed in a passionate kiss amidst a cluttered collection of artifacts. Rowlandson uses the space to explore ideas of cultural authenticity and the commodification of history. Are these historical items mere status symbols or a means for genuine engagement with the past? The crowded composition of the image and the couple's embrace suggest a world where private desire clashes with public display. Rowlandson invites us to reflect on the ways in which we curate our identities, both as individuals and as a society, through the objects we choose to collect and display.