"The Carter and the Gypsies": A cart turned over in a stream, tipping a group of women into the water 1800 - 1814

Thomas Rowlandson made this lively watercolor, “The Carter and the Gypsies,” in the late 18th or early 19th century, using ink and washes on paper. The thin, translucent quality of the watercolor medium lends itself well to the chaotic scene depicted, with figures tumbling amidst the watery depths. Rowlandson's approach to the material is quite direct; the quick, expressive lines and washes convey a sense of spontaneity. The relative ease with which watercolors can be applied allowed Rowlandson to capture a fleeting moment of pandemonium and caricature. In that era, watercolors were relatively cheap and portable, fitting the needs of the emerging middle class, who wanted art for their homes. "Gypsies" were often scapegoated at that time, and this work is therefore enmeshed in the social politics of the day. It underscores how artistic mediums and techniques are intertwined with social context, reflecting the values and concerns of their time.