The Comet

The Great Comet of 1811, still faintly visible in early 1812, inflamed the popular imagination. Across the world the comet was hailed as both a beneficent omen for uprisings and the signal of the end of times—particularly associated with Napoleon’s ill-fated invasion of Russia. It was immortalised in the work of literary titans including Leo Tolstoy and Victor Hugo. In the present picture, Rowlandson recalls the fervorous response to the comet a decade on from its advent. Crowded rooftops and figures hanging from casements impute an false ephemerality to the comet’s appearance, which moved slowly across the sky for many months. The present work benefits from Rowland’s deft eye for satire and features his typical mix of grotesque male figures and rosy, buxom women.

Rowlandson, born in London to a tradesman, studied first in Paris and later at the Royal Academy. His reputation as a caricaturist is juxtaposed with his refined handling of architectural detail. In addition to working in caricature and portraiture, Rowland found success as an illustrator for Tobias Smollett, Oliver Goldsmith, and Laurence Sterne.