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THOMAS ROWLANDSON (1757-1827)
Money Lenders.
8 Nov 1784RCIN 810116
This print of a carefree young man requesting cash from two moneylenders was bought by the Prince of Wales. The purchase is of particular interest as it is thought to be earliest satire on the Prince’s increasingly large debts. The Prince did not collect the more vicious caricatures of himself, but clearly found this image amusing rather than offensive.
Purchased by George IV when Prince of Wales, 1784
Bill from William Humphrey to the Prince of Wales, 1784
The purchases of George, Prince of Wales, can be traced through the numerous bills from printsellers in the Royal Archives. This bill was sent to the Prince by William Humphrey, a London printseller who was one of Rowlandson’s first employers. Among the prints listed is Rowlandson’s Money Lenders (left), which had been published a month earlier.
Ex. cat.
Cat. 15
Bibliographic reference(s)
BM Satires : Catalogue of political and personal satires preserved in the Department of Prints and Drawings in the British Museum ... 11 v. in 12. BM Satires 6717
