Who painted Hocus Pocus, or Searching for the Philosopher's Stone?

Hocus Pocus, or Searching for the Philosopher's Stone was painted by Thomas Rowlandson in 1800.

Where can I see Hocus Pocus, or Searching for the Philosopher's Stone?

Hocus Pocus, or Searching for the Philosopher's Stone is held by National Gallery of Art.

What movement is Hocus Pocus, or Searching for the Philosopher's Stone?

Hocus Pocus, or Searching for the Philosopher's Stone is associated with Romanticism.

Can I buy a print of Hocus Pocus, or Searching for the Philosopher's Stone?

Museum-quality prints of Hocus Pocus, or Searching for the Philosopher's Stone are available made-to-order from Artifact World Gallery.

Artwork

Hocus Pocus, or Searching for the Philosopher's Stone

Thomas Rowlandson , 1800

Hocus Pocus, or Searching for the Philosopher's Stone is an ink print by the Romanticist artist Thomas Rowlandson. It dates from 1800 and is held in the collection of the National Gallery of Art.

Inscription: Inscribed:recto: in plate, below image, at left: Pub March 12 1800 at R Ackermans Repository of the Arts N 101 Strand; in plate, below image, at center: HOCUS POCUS / OR SEARCHING FOR THE PHILSOPHERS STONE.; at lower left, in graphite, in later hand: 18 [underlined]; verso: in graphite, at lower left, in later hand: 247 / 2a; in graphite, at center, in later hand: g18; in graphite, in later hand, at lower right: 15 3/4 13 1/2.
Markings: Marked:recto: stamped in black in oval: PHILOSOPHICAL / BEAUMONT / SQUARE / M E [Beaumont Philosophical Institute, not in Lugt]; verso: none

About this work

Overview

Thomas Rowlandson’s 1800 print Hocus Pocus, or Searching for the Philosopher’s Stone combines etching, aquatint, stipple and hand‑applied colour on wove paper. The composition depicts a disorderly interior where three men, dressed in contemporary attire, are surrounded by an assortment of objects that suggest an alchemical laboratory gone awry.

Subject & Meaning

The scene satirises the futile quest for the legendary philosopher’s stone, a symbol of wealth and transformation. By populating the cramped space with a hanging fish, a pot over a fireplace, open books and scattered bottles, Rowlandson exaggerates the chaos of pseudo‑scientific experiments, mocking the pretensions of those who pursued such impossible goals.

Technique & Style

Rowlandson employs a layered print process: fine etched lines define the figures, aquatint provides tonal washes, and stipple adds texture. Hand‑colouring on the wove paper highlights details such as the men’s clothing and the bright objects, creating a vivid, almost theatrical effect that reinforces the work’s humorous tone.

History & Provenance

Created at the turn of the 19th century, the print belongs to the flourishing market for satirical prints in Britain. Rowlandson, a prolific caricaturist, produced it alongside the politically charged works of contemporaries like James Gillray, and it circulated widely among the reading public as a commentary on contemporary fads.

Context

The image reflects the broader Georgian fascination with scientific curiosity and the occult, a period when alchemy was both a subject of serious inquiry and public ridicule. Rowlandson’s caricature places the alchemical laboratory within a domestic setting, underscoring the intrusion of fanciful pursuits into everyday life.

The Alchymist, in Search of the Philosopher's Stone, Discovers Phosphorus, and Prays for the Successful Conclusion of his Operation, as was the Custom of the Ancient Chymical Astrologers, William Pether

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Artist & collection

Artist

Thomas Rowlandson

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.