Two frowning Frenchmen

Towards the end of the 18th century caricature became a natural extension of portraiture and the artist Sir Nathaniel Dance-Holland who made his name as a portraitist, was no exception, slipping smoothly into the role of a consumate caricaturist after his final exhibition as a professional artist at the Royal Academy in 1776.

Caricature became Dance-Holland's principal output in his later years. His handling of pen and ink was brilliant and his desire to depict the ludicrous resulted in a fine legacy of witty and humorous drawings.