The High-mettled Racer 1789

Editor: This is "The High-mettled Racer," a print made in 1789 by Thomas Rowlandson, using etching and watercolor. It captures a horse race, filled with figures, coaches, and lots of frenetic energy. It makes me think about the culture of betting and the upper classes at that time. What stands out to you about this work? Curator: As a materialist, I immediately notice the labor embedded in this seemingly frivolous scene. Etching and watercolor, while perhaps considered "lesser" media than oil painting at the time, allowed for mass production and wider consumption. Who was buying these prints, and how did their social standing relate to the culture depicted? The frantic energy you mention can be interpreted through this lens: It isn’t simply a spontaneous gathering but an economically charged spectacle, right? Editor: That's fascinating! I hadn't considered the socioeconomic aspect of printmaking itself. So, you are suggesting we think about this artwork not just as a snapshot of leisure, but also as a product deeply intertwined with production and consumption. Curator: Exactly! Look at the details – the caricatured faces, the implied wealth in the carriages – it all points to a specific audience and the artist's engagement with them. How does Rowlandson present that relationship between the privileged class enjoying the sport, and his own production for them? Editor: It’s almost like he's both satirizing and catering to them at the same time. The etching makes it accessible but the watercolour adds value…making it a commodity for these very people. Curator: Precisely. By understanding the means of production and the target audience, we gain a far richer understanding of the social and economic underpinnings of this seemingly simple sporting scene. It goes beyond mere aesthetics. Editor: I'm going to be thinking about prints very differently from now on! This has really shifted my perspective on the work.