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The Flower of the City, 1809. Artist: Thomas Rowlandson
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The Flower of the City, 1809. Artist: Thomas Rowlandson
The Flower of the City, 1809. The head of Charles Flower, Lord Mayor, is depicted within a wilted sunflower, which has leaves labelled with his character qualities and grows in a barrel of rank butter standing on mouldy and rotten cheese. Flower was unpopular on account of his support for the Duke of York
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Media ID 15169256
© London Metropolitan Archives (City of London) / Heritage-Images
Butter Cheese Georgian Lord Mayor Of London Rotten Rotting Rowlandson Sunflower Thomas Rowlandson Unpopular Wilting Decomposing Mouldy
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The Flower of the City, 1809
EDITORS COMMENTS
is a satirical masterpiece by Thomas Rowlandson that captures the essence of political discontent in Britain during the Georgian era. The print portrays Charles Flower, the unpopular Lord Mayor of London, in an unflattering manner. His head is humorously depicted within a wilted sunflower, symbolizing his fading influence and wilting reputation. Rowlandson's attention to detail is evident as he cleverly labels each leaf on the sunflower with qualities associated with Flower's character. The artist further emphasizes Flower's unpopularity by placing him within a barrel filled with rank butter and surrounded by mouldy and rotten cheese. These elements represent decay and corruption, highlighting public sentiment towards Flower due to his support for the Duke of York. The composition showcases Rowlandson's mastery in caricature and cartooning techniques. The vibrant colors add depth to this biting social commentary while capturing the viewer's attention. Through this artwork, Rowlandson offers a scathing critique on politics and power dynamics prevalent at that time. This piece can be found at Guildhall Library and Art Gallery, serving as a testament to Rowlandson's artistic prowess and his ability to capture significant moments in history through satire. "The Flower of the City" serves as both an entertaining visual spectacle and a thought-provoking reflection on British society during this period of political unrest.
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