The Eighteenth Century in English Caricature

The study traces the rise and character of pictorial satire in eighteenth-century England, beginning with etymology and its kinship to comedy and satire, and examines social and political conditions that allowed caricature to flourish. It contrasts English pictorial humour with contemporaneous efforts elsewhere, then surveys key practitioners and their subjects—moral vice, social manners, political controversy, and everyday life—illustrating how prints record costume, conduct, and public debate. Organized around thematic chapters and abundant reproductions, the work treats caricature as both artistic expression and a barometer of contemporary opinion.