1780
watercolor
From the collection of Victoria and Albert Museum
Landing at Greenwich is a 1780 watercolor by Thomas Rowlandson, a Rococo painting work, held at Victoria and Albert Museum.
This chaotic watercolor shows a crowd of people tumbling off a boat onto a dock. Some are sprawled on the ground, others are climbing up stairs, and a few are still in the water. In the background, tall buildings with big windows line a canal, where more people watch from the balconies. The sign on the building reads *"Lettice Salutation and Ordinary"*—likely a shop or inn. The artist packed in so many figures that it feels like a busy street scene turned upside down. Next, check out Romanticism to see how artists used wild energy like this.
A watercolour caricature by Thomas Rowlandson from 1780 depicts a bawdy scene at Greenwich, where naked and partially clothed figures disembark from small boats near a riverside tavern. The composition shows men aggressively pursuing women on the beach, while couples occupy every window of the establishment, all rendered with exaggerated, lewd facial expressions. The tavern is identified by a sign reading "Letton's Salutation an Ordinary," and the work is inscribed with its title.
Read the full account in the museum source.
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
