1809
ink
From the collection of National Gallery of Art
Ducking a Scold is a 1809 ink by Thomas Rowlandson, a Romanticism work, held at National Gallery of Art.
This crowded scene shows a chaotic water dunking. A woman in pink is being dunked by a group of people holding poles and a frying pan. Others laugh, point, or watch from the shore, while a cat in a basket floats nearby. The background has a small building and more onlookers packed in. The title *Ducking a Scold* hints this was a public punishment for "scolds"—women accused of nagging. The messy, exaggerated faces and action fit the artist’s style. Next, check out etching, drypoint, aquatint to see how this print was made.
Thomas Rowlandson (; 13 July 1757 – 21 April 1827) was an English artist and caricaturist of the Georgian Era, noted for his political satire and social observation.
See the richer artist page
