THOMAS ROWLANDSON (1757-1827)
A Peep at the New Installation Uniform.
13 Apr 1805RCIN 810605
A hand-coloured print of two men. 'Tom', standing on the right, looks on amused at the sight of his friend's old-fashioned uniform. In 1805, George III introduced a new uniform to be worn at the annual ball to mark the installation of Knights of the Garter. The uniform was based on a painting of George I (reigned 1714–27). The thought of dignitaries dressed in this archaic fashion was impossible for Rowlandson to resist: here he shows one of the attendees being unflatteringly compared to Cloudesley Shovell, Admiral of the Fleet (died 1707).
Inscribed in the plate: Pubd. April 13. 1805 by R Ackermann N 101 Strand