A Grinning Match

Rudolph Ackermann, London|Thomas Rowlandson|Henry William Bunbury

February 1, 1803 · Hand-colored etching · Drawings and Prints

Grego describes a 1799 version of this image as designed by Bunbury, and characterizes the scene as "a party of rustics, whose rude features are more rudely burlesqued, are grouped around a barrel to assist in an exhibition of "face-making." The challenge runs thus: "A gold Ring to be Grinned for the frightfu'lest Grinner to be the winner." Mounted on a tub is one of the champions, round his head is the traditional setting for a horse collar, and he is succeeding in making the most fearful grimaces, to the consequent delight of the spectators."

Artist

Rudolph Ackermann, London|Thomas Rowlandson|Henry William Bunbury

Date

February 1, 1803

Medium

Hand-colored etching

Department

Drawings and Prints

Credit line

The Elisha Whittelsey Collection, The Elisha Whittelsey Fund, 1959