The William and Dorthy Petesch Collection

William and Dorothy Petesch, retired librarians and long-time collectors, have donated over 150 caricatures to the Fresno Metropolitan Museum's permanent collection. The gift includes works by the most renowned artists and caricaturists of the 18th and 19th centuries including George Cruikshank, Honore Daumier, James Gillray, William Hogarth, and Thomas Rowlandson.

British artist William Hogarth (1697-1764) known for his modern moral subjects poking humorous, sometimes vicious, fun at contemporary politics and customs. Marriage a la Mode, a series of six engravings, is part of the Petesch gift and considered by many his finest work. The prints challenge the ideal view of the rich and virtuous life; they depict the miserable tragedy of and ill-considered marriage for money.

Honore Daumier (1808-1879) active in France and a master in the newly developed technique of lithography. The artist created more than 4,000 lithographs, which are characterized by a timeless wit exposing the foibles and follies of human kind. Among them is the series Professeurs et Moutards, portraying the humorous and often sardonic relationship of teacher and student.

Collection Type:

• Permanent Collection

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