Macassar Oil
Dublin Core
Title
Macassar Oil
Subject
Social satire, Medicine in art
Description
In Macassar Oil, an apothecary vendor pours oil on a bald man’s head, while a woman behind them looks shocked at the reflection of her hair standing on end. A sign on the rear wall advertises a miracle product: “Macassar Oil, for the Growth of Hair, is the finest invention ever known for encreasing hair on bald Places, Its virtues are pre-eminent for improving and beautifying the Hair of Ladies and Gentlemen.” Dozens of elixirs and other remedies line the shelves, and the large oil jar suggests products of exotic provenance. A tall fools’ cap with ass’s ears indicates the artist’s opinion of “soft heads” naïve enough to spend money in this shop.
Creator
Thomas Rowlandson (1757 – 1827)
Source
[no text]
Publisher
Thomas Tegg, London
Date
1811
Contributor
Debra Cashion, in collaboration with Elisabeth Barrett, '15
Rights
Relation
Format
Hand colored etching; original dimensions, 350 x 248 mm
Language
[no text]
Type
Still image
Identifier
[no text]
Coverage
[no text]
Files
Collection
Citation
Thomas Rowlandson (1757 – 1827), “Macassar Oil,” The Anatomist: Early Modern Medical Satire, accessed March 28, 2024, https://anatomist.omeka.net/items/show/4.