Thomas Rowlandson after George Moutard Woodward.

Miseries of Human Life.

13 x 10 inches

A hand coloured etching by Rowlandson after Woodward, published in London circa 1810.

The original concept for the 'Miseries of Human Life' was a book of the same name, published by James Beresford in 1806. Within its pages Beresford lampoons all the ''Petty Outrages'', ''Minor Humiliations'' and ''Tiny Discomforts'' that plagued Regency society. In today's terminology we might call them 'First World Problems'.

Rowlandson gleefully picked up on these ideas and almost immediately started devising his own images after those of George Cruikshank, the illustrator of Beresford's original work.

In this particular image we are in the heart of commercial London at Smithfield Market where a portly gentleman finds himself pursued by two angry looking bulls, presumably on their way to slaughter and anxious to avoid the butcher's knife. Gambolling across the cobbles, our hero loses his wig in the fray and attempts to beat off the beasts with his walking cane. We learn that his ''dancing days have been long over'' and it's far from easy to ''foot it'' when chased by ''mad bulls''. This print is terrific fun and one of many that brings colour and humour to London life at the beginning of the C19th.

£450