Doctor Syntax Pursued by a Bull, from The Tour of Doctor Syntax c. 1812

Curator: We're looking at "Doctor Syntax Pursued by a Bull," an etching with colored pencil by Thomas Rowlandson, dating from around 1812. It’s part of a larger series, "The Tour of Doctor Syntax," and is currently in the collection of The Art Institute of Chicago. Editor: It's chaotic! A whirlwind of limbs and startled animals. The composition is all diagonals and curves, leading the eye right into the hapless Syntax clinging to that tree. Curator: Indeed! Rowlandson, known for his caricatures, masterfully depicts social commentary through humorous narratives. The production of these prints – etchings then meticulously hand-colored – reflects a broader culture of accessible art and satire in Georgian England. Rowlandson used his skills to mock the upper classes of his era. Editor: Observe how the vibrant watercolors amplify the scene's energy. The bull, rendered with dynamic lines and exaggerated musculature, is far more imposing than the comically perched Doctor. The application of color, however, seems almost hasty, contributing to the sense of frenzied motion. Curator: The 'Tour' itself parodies the picturesque travelogue genre. We have a commodification of the countryside for bourgeois consumption that then gives birth to situations like this with escaped bulls. And Rowlandson cleverly exploits these narratives, selling them as relatively cheap artworks to Londoners looking for the novel and humorous. The materiality – the cheap paper, the mass-produced etchings – are crucial. Editor: However, do note how Rowlandson expertly employs line and form to create depth and perspective, despite the overall caricatured style. See how the diminishing size of the figures and animals guides our eye back through the landscape. It's not simply a flat caricature, but a carefully constructed composition that directs our gaze and elicits a feeling of panicked flight. Curator: Ultimately, it reveals a shift in how stories, labor and satire circulated. I would venture that Rowlandson, working for Ackermann's print shop, was well aware of who he served. And that’s evident in his clever social commentaries through a caricature of English landscape and figures. Editor: I leave with a renewed appreciation for Rowlandson's command of visual storytelling; that despite the frantic subject, this small print manages to distill an entire narrative arc into a single, humorous image.