Paintings, Prints & Drawings — C. 1811
Watching the Comet
Crowds of people are shown leaning from every window and thronging every rooftop to get a better view of the comet blazing across the night sky. The appearance of this comet did indeed cause great excitement. It was visible from London throughout the autumn of 1811. Astronomers formally refer to it as C/1811 F1.
Rowlandson has taken full advantage of the nocturnal setting to produce a titillating image, as buxom women crane out of windows with their breasts exposed, whilst men point phallic telescopes skywards.
- Category:
- Paintings, Prints & Drawings
- Object ID:
- 49.47
- Object name:
- Watching the Comet
- Object type:
- Artist/Maker:
- Rowlandson, Thomas
- Related people:
- —
- Related events:
- —
- Related places:
- —
- Production date:
- c. 1811
- Material:
- paper, watercolour, ink, pencil
- Measurements/duration:
- H 370 mm, W 299 mm (paper)
- Part of:
- —
- On display:
- —
- Record quality:
- 100%
- Part of this object:
- —
- Credit:
- —
- Copyright holder:
- digital image © London Museum
- Image credit:
- —
- Creative commons usage:
- —
- License this image:
To license this image for commercial use, please contact the London Museum Picture Library.