The Word Eater by Thomas Rowlandson (1786)

Hand-coloured caricature of a man in blue coat devouring documents and books before an audience, by Thomas Rowlandson, 1786.

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The Word Eater, Thomas Rowlandson (1786), Wikimedia Commons. Via artnap.com

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A hand-coloured pen and ink caricature titled The Word Eater by Thomas Rowlandson, dated 1786, shows a flamboyant man in a blue coat and yellow breeches gesturing toward a crowded assembly. A stack of red-bound books labelled Statutes at Large, Magna Charta, Principles of the Constitution and Rights of the People rests on a green-draped table, while bags labelled Jus Divinum of Kings and Principles of Taxation lie at his feet. The printed caption below describes a performer who devours and reverses the meanings of words.

File page on Wikimedia Commons

Date

1786

Medium

Museum

Wikimedia Commons

License

Public domain