George Woodward

Setting out in Life

9 x 13 inches

A charming etching by Woodward published in London by S. W. Fores in 1796.

In this delightful conversation piece, a father sits facing his imbecilic looking son asking him what his plans are for life now that he has reached his maturity. He looks somewhat exacerbated and comments that the boy is hardly suited to the rough and tumble of faming life. One look at the son's vacant face suggests he might be right! The lad replies that he has considered his future prospects and come up with a profession that appears to be "all pay and little work". His cunning plan is to be apprenticed to a bishop, thereby bagging a lucrative position with very little hard work! George Woodward (1765-1809) was a successful caricaturist and humourist. Although he did etch some of his own plates most of his work was engraved by fellow caricaturists and in particular Thomas Rowlandson and Isaac Cruikshank. Rowlandson and Woodward were great friends, drinking companions and co-conspirators in satire.