The Plot Thickens, or Diamond Cut Diamond

Thomas Rowlandson

An item at Metropolitan Museum of Art

Mrs. Clarke stands between Wardle and Wright, with her hands on her hips. Wardle turns his head from her to speak to General Clavering, who stands on the far left. Clavering stands glaring angrily at Mrs. Clarke and says, "I intend to commence an Action against her for obtaining Mony under false pretences in the case of French's Levy—I'll teach her to send Gentlemen to Newgate." Wardle answers, "Leave her to me I'll touch her up in the Furniture Business." Mrs. Clarke says: "I dont care a fig for any of you—and as to you Mr Furniture Monger—I'll be before hand with you." Wright, the upholsterer, stands behind her at right, looks to the left scowling, and says: "That's a good girl follow him up—I'll back you I'll let him know who's Wright and whose Wrong. If I don't enter an action against him I am no Upholsterer." Serjeant Best is at the far right wearing a wig and gown andholding papers titled "Brief. He looks towards the four people and says, "That's right my good Friends it is All for the Best."

Drawings and Prints

An exhibit at Metropolitan Museum of Art

The Department’s vast collection of works on paper comprises approximately 21,000 drawings, 1.2 million prints, and 12,000 illustrated books created in Europe and the Americas from about 1400 to the present day. Since its foundation in 1916, the Department has been committed to collecting a wide range of works on paper, which includes both pieces that are incredibly rare and lauded for their aesthetic appeal, as well as material that is more popular, functional, and ephemeral. The broad scope of the department’s collecting encourages questions of connoisseurship as well as those pertaining to function and context, and demonstrates the vital role that prints, drawings, and illustrated books have played throughout history.

Metropolitan Museum of Art