Thomas Rowlandson (1756-1827) English, Medical Caricatures Limited Edition (1971). 

Size: 17 X 14 X 1 in. 

This is a limited edition set of colored prints from sketches originally done by Thomas Rowlandson in the eighteenth century. They are colored reproductions of medical prints published by Editions Medicina Rara Ltd. in 1971, the set is No. LXXXIX [No. 89] of 2800 copies printed for members of Editions Medicina Rara on permanent natural Curtis Rag laid paper, and each print bears a small Medicina Rara symbol in the lower corner to show it is part of the limited edition set. The plates for printing were made from twelve original aquatints, ten in the collection of Medicina Rara and two from the Philadelphia Museum of Art: Smith, Kline & French Laboratories Collection, and the first 300 of the 2800 prints were double suites labelled in Roman numerals from I - CCC, while the next 2500 sets of prints were single suites labelled in arabic numerals up to 2800, so this set is from the harder-to-find double suites. There are actually twenty-four colored prints here  - two sets of twelve, instead of one set - and perhaps that’s what is meant by double suites. The orange-brown box is original to the set and has a black and white label on the front too. The sketches were originally done by Thomas Rowlandson way back in the 1700’s and early 1800’s. Rowlandson (1756 - 1827) was a famous caricaturist who lived during the reign of King George III, and his satirical sketches poked fun at the church, the legal profession, and education, but were more often directed at the medical profession, possibly because the medical profession was not held in high regard at the time and there were many quacks who claimed to be real doctors. His sketches often showed the seamy side of medical life in London, and the way he viewed the medical profession is expressed in these prints. The colored prints are all here and in great condition. They measure 17 x 14 inches wide, with no wear on the prints, and they are clean and bright. The box has light fading on the outside and the top of the box that seals the box is a little wonky - it probably needs to be reglued at the top - but it has served its purpose well - it has protected the prints from sunlight, wear, and damage. We have not found any sets listed online from the first series of 300 prints, only ones from the series of 2500 in arabic numerals, so this set is pretty rare, and the colored prints would be great to hang up in a doctor’s office.