Wednesday 21 October 2009

July-Dec 1843, p23 - Substance and Shadow (Cartoon No.I.)

ARTIST:
John Leech

TEXT WITHIN THIS IMAGE

CAPTION:
SUBSTANCE AND SHADOW

2 comments:

  1. something to do with artists disregarding poverty? social issues?

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  2. At this time, there was wide scientific and public curiosity about natural hierarchies, and how human hierarchies reflected them. Leech is debunking the 'higher orders' with their self-image of fashioned elegance, which is turning them into animals. The groundlings in the picture are the lowest of the London poor, borderline humans in another way, through deprivation and physical deterioration.

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