The Rev. Dr. Syntax Rural Sport

Thomas Rowlandson

Cleveland Museum of Art

The image depicts a lively scene of people dancing outdoors. A group of men and women are dancing in a circle outdoors. A man in a black outfit and hat on the right side of the image is holding the leg of another man who is wearing a tan jacket and red shorts. The man in black appears to be holding him up, possibly in a celebratory or playful manner. The dancers are dressed in 18th or 19th-century attire, with men wearing breeches and women wearing long dresses. A dog is on the ground in the foreground. On the left side of the image, several people are sitting or standing outside a white building with a thatched roof, watching the dancers. A woman sitting on a bench on the left appears to be laughing and clapping. The scene is set against a backdrop of trees and a cloudy sky. The image titled "The Rev. Dr. Syntax Rural Sport" is an engraving by Thomas Rowlandson.