Rachel Pringle-Polgreen was the owner of a famous hotel in Bridgetown, Barbados. By the time of her death in 1791, she was one of the wealthiest citizens in the town. Rowlandson made this print, showing Pringle-Polgreen in front of her hotel, after a drawing by an unidentified artist with the initials ‘E.D.’ The print is unique in Rowlandson’s oeuvre. It is on a large scale and of a very high quality, with skilfully applied aquatint (the grey tone) used to model the carefully depicted figures. It is not intended to be humorous, but rather to provide an interested public with a portrait of one of the most important figures in Barbados, at the time a British colony. The print was marketed by the printseller William Holland as ‘A large Portrait of Rachel Pringle of Barbadoes’ and for the high price of 7 shillings and sixpence. Cat. 44