“This etching offers a vivid, humorous illustration of a scene from a classic 18th-century novel, capturing the chaos and character of a country court with satirical wit.”
In this etching, Thomas Rowlandson brings to life a scene from Henry Fielding's novel, "The Adventures of Joseph Andrews." We see Parson Adams, a stout, bespectacled figure, and the young Fanny being interrogated by a country justice. The room bustles with characters, each rendered with a distinct, often exaggerated, expression that captures the humorous and sometimes absurd nature of provincial justice in 18th-century England. The composition, with its tightly packed figures, emphasizes the confined and chaotic atmosphere of the examination. Rowlandson's characteristic use of lively line work and subtle shading defines the figures and their interactions, drawing the viewer into this lively, satirical glimpse of Georgian society.
- Artist
- Thomas Rowlandson
- Date
- 1792
- Medium
- Etching
- Location
- The Metropolitan Museum of Art
- Dimensions
- Sheet (trimmed): 4 7/16 × 6 1/4 in. (11.3 × 15.8 cm)
- Collection
- Drawings and Prints
- Credit line
- The Elisha Whittelsey Collection, The Elisha Whittelsey Fund, 1959
What to Notice
Five details hide in plain sight. Here’s where to look.

The stern, bewigged country justice presiding over the scene.
Parson Adams's bewildered expression and disheveled wig.
Fanny's modest posture and downcast gaze.
The various onlookers, each with their own curious reaction.
1 more detail is waiting.
See all 5 in Art Whisper →Stand in front of it and listen
The full narration walks you through Parson Adams & Fanny examined as culprits before the country Justice, from "The Adventures of Joseph Andrews, and his friend Mr Abraham Adams" — the story behind it, the details most visitors miss, and why it matters. Free in the Art Whisper app.
Thomas Rowlandson
Thomas Rowlandson was a prolific English caricaturist of the Georgian Era, renowned for his robust political satires and keen social observations.
Further Works by Rowlandson
Lady Booby attempts to seduce the immaculate Joseph, from "The Adventures of Joseph Andrews, and His Friend Mr. Abraham Adams"
1792 · The Metropolitan Museum of Art
Parson Adams Discovered in a Suspicious Situation with Mrs. Slipslop, from "The Adventures of Joseph Andrews, and his friend Mr. Abraham Adams"
1792 · The Metropolitan Museum of Art
Parson Adams Engaged In A Perilous Hunting Adventure, from "The Adventures of Joseph Andrews, and his friend Mr. Abraham Adams"
1792 · The Metropolitan Museum of Art
Table of Contents: "The Adventures of Joseph Andrews, and his friend Mr. Abraham Adams"
1792 · The Metropolitan Museum of Art
Title Page: "The Adventures of Joseph Andrews, and His Friend Mr. Abraham Adams"
1792 · The Metropolitan Museum of Art
Young Adams Catechised by Parson Adams, from "The Adventures of Joseph Andrews, and his friend Mr. Abraham Adams"
1792 · The Metropolitan Museum of Art
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