The Macaroni
Satirical Drawing
1774 (painted)
1774 (painted)
Artist/Maker | |
Place of origin |
The term ‘Macaroni’ arose in the middle of the 18th century. It referred to wealthy young men who wore the elaborate style of dress that they had seen during their ‘Grand Tour’ of Europe. In the 18th century many noblemen and gentlemen went on the Grand Tour to complete their education. The aim was to see the great sights of Europe, especially those in Italy.
The name ‘Macaroni’ was probably taken from the Macaroni Club, a fashionable dining society that specialised in foreign foods such as macaroni. This watercolour may also be connected with the second use of the Italian word ‘maccherone’, meaning a fool. It is possible that the principal figure is Charles Douglas, 3rd Duke of Queensbury (1698-1778).
The name ‘Macaroni’ was probably taken from the Macaroni Club, a fashionable dining society that specialised in foreign foods such as macaroni. This watercolour may also be connected with the second use of the Italian word ‘maccherone’, meaning a fool. It is possible that the principal figure is Charles Douglas, 3rd Duke of Queensbury (1698-1778).
Object details
Categories | |
Object type | |
Title | The Macaroni (assigned by artist) |
Materials and techniques | Watercolour |
Brief description | Watercolour drawing by Samuel Hieronymus Grimm entitled 'The Macaroni'. Great Britain, 1774. |
Physical description | Watercolour drawing entitled 'The Macaroni' depicting a grotesque figure in fine dress, standing alone at a garden party, with a gentleman and three ladies with fans smiling in the background. One of the ladies is painted entirely in blue. |
Dimensions |
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Style | |
Gallery label |
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Subjects depicted | |
Summary | The term ‘Macaroni’ arose in the middle of the 18th century. It referred to wealthy young men who wore the elaborate style of dress that they had seen during their ‘Grand Tour’ of Europe. In the 18th century many noblemen and gentlemen went on the Grand Tour to complete their education. The aim was to see the great sights of Europe, especially those in Italy. The name ‘Macaroni’ was probably taken from the Macaroni Club, a fashionable dining society that specialised in foreign foods such as macaroni. This watercolour may also be connected with the second use of the Italian word ‘maccherone’, meaning a fool. It is possible that the principal figure is Charles Douglas, 3rd Duke of Queensbury (1698-1778). |
Bibliographic references |
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Collection | |
Accession number | P.39-1939 |
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Record created | March 9, 2001 |
Record URL |
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