Study for a plate from The Triumphs of Temper, in the 1796 Royal Engagements Pocket Book c. 1795

Curator: This is a preparatory drawing by Thomas Stothard, dating back to approximately 1795. It's a study for an engraving intended for "The Triumphs of Temper," which was published in the 1796 Royal Engagements Pocket Book. It’s done in ink on paper. Editor: Wow, it's so small! It reminds me of a miniature stage setting with the tiniest actors about to perform some long forgotten play. So delicate! Curator: Exactly! Its small size speaks to its original function. These pocket books were popular among the elite; this image would have been a fashionable miniature. Now, the scene itself suggests a deeper narrative about the ‘triumphs of temper,’ a notion deeply entwined with societal expectations around behavior and emotional control, especially for women of that era. Editor: Ah, I see! So, on one level, it's beautiful and decorative. But when you look closer, it speaks about this hidden battle about inner restraint—or maybe outward compliance— that women particularly had to wrestle with. That makes this delicate etching so much more powerful, more urgent. Curator: Absolutely. And we should contextualize Stothard's artistic practice in relation to broader societal currents. Late 18th-century England was grappling with shifting notions of class, gender, and political power, and artistic production always played a role in reflecting, and sometimes critiquing, these norms. Editor: I like how even within the smallness, Stothard still manages to use that neoclassical, allegorical style in a very accessible way. There’s no intimidation, there’s just open storytelling. That probably explains some of its charm then, and now. It’s as if this work opens an unspoken door… inviting us to join this moment. Curator: I agree. Thinking about it now, the very act of carrying this image in a pocket book transforms the holder into an active participant, both observer and carrier, of this small piece of art and all the ideologies contained within it. Editor: Makes me wonder who the women carrying around these images really were and what they thought about its hidden message. Curator: Precisely. The artwork becomes a silent witness of that history! Editor: Well, looking at this, I’m off to conquer some tempers myself!