Giving Up the Ghost or One Too Many by Thomas Rowlandson

Giving Up the Ghost or One Too Many by Thomas Rowlandson

c.1971

Limited edition lithograph

Capturing a darkly comedic race between mortality and professional greed, this 1971 limited-edition facsimile print reproduces Thomas Rowlandson's macabre 1813 satire titled 'Giving Up the Ghost or One Too Many.' The macabre scene centers on a dying emaciated patient lying in bed while a skeletal figure of Death looks through the window holding an hourglass and an arrow. Rowlandson weaves a sharp joke about medical incompetence into the scene, featuring an oblivious doctor sleeping soundly in a nearby chair while an undertaker peeks into the room from behind a door holding a black funeral plume. Executed with Rowlandson's characteristic fluid linework, animated gestures, and vibrant hand-coloring, the composition masterfully exaggerates the figures' expressions to heighten the theatrical black comedy and sharpen the critique on the medical profession's failures.

Originally produced during the "Golden Age" of British graphic satire, this work reflects the era's widespread public skepticism and lighthearted ridicule aimed at the medical profession. Thomas Rowlandson (1757 to 1827) was one of the period's most prolific and accomplished artists, expanding on the moralistic tradition of William Hogarth by infusing visual commentary with uninhibited wit and everyday observations. While the original 19th-century impressions were distributed as hand-colored etchings, this high-quality 1971 facsimile remains historically important for keeping early modern print culture accessible to modern collectors, beautifully documenting late-Georgian social attitudes and showcasing how satire served as a powerful tool for public critique.

Dimensions: H 14” x 17” W

Condition: In very good condition