The Visit of Doctor Syntax to the Widow Hopefull [sic] at York by Thomas Rowlandson

The Visit of Doctor Syntax to the Widow Hopefull [sic] at York 1820

0:00

aquatint, drawing, print, etching

aquatint

drawing

print

etching

romanticism

genre-painting

Dimensions 5 x 7 1/8 in. (12.7 x 18.1 cm) (sheet)

"The Visit of Doctor Syntax to the Widow Hopefull at York" was made by Thomas Rowlandson, an English artist known for his satirical caricatures. It's from an era in England when social class dictated one's experience, especially for women. Here, we see Dr. Syntax visiting a widow, likely to court her. The scene is rife with social commentary, poking fun at the rituals and expectations surrounding courtship and gender roles. The widow, presumably in a vulnerable position after the loss of her husband, is subject to the doctor's visit, laden with potential implications for her future. The scene hints at the power dynamics at play, questioning the agency of women in a patriarchal society. The presence of another man lurking in the shadows adds to the intrigue, suggesting hidden motives and unspoken desires. Rowlandson’s work invites us to reflect on the complex interplay of gender, class, and social expectations in shaping individual destinies.

Comments

minneapolisinstituteofart over 1 year ago

⋮

Rowlandson's Doctor Syntax The Tours of Doctor Syntax was an immensely successful series; Rowlandson produced the pictures, which were made into a story by the author William Coombe, who wrote poems to accompany them. Three satirical books were published (1809-21) that follow the hilarious misadventures of a foolish clergyman and schoolmaster, Dr. Syntax, a kind of English Don Quixote. The absurdity of Syntax's character and mishaps incisively mock the customs of the day. Rowlandson devoted most of his time to magazine and book illustration in the second-half of his career, working primarily for the enterprising publisher, Rudolph Ackermann (1764-1834), who printed the Doctor Syntax series. Rowlandson's later activities mark a gradual shift in the caricature genre, when publishers and artists moved away from the production of single, high-quality, expensive prints to the cheaper comical cartoons that were featured in widely distributed magazines. Weeklies like Punch and the Illuminated Magazine were founded in the 1840s and would become a staple of Victorian England. Caricature in this new era served more frequently as illustrated journalism, with cartoons representing an editorial point-of-view, often produced by professional illustrators hired by magazines.