1650
From the collection of Victoria and Albert Museum
H Beard Print Collection is a 1650 by William Hogarth, held at Victoria and Albert Museum.
A crowd gathers around a small peep show, some laughing, others scowling. A man holds up a sign with political slogans, while children and adults press close to see. This print mocks public taste and politics in 18th-century London. Hogarth filled it with real people and fake news of the day—names, faces, and jokes only locals would get. He liked to tease the public, showing how easily they believed what they saw. The “raree show” was a popular street act, but here it becomes a stage for satire. Look up the Victoria and Albert Museum to see more prints like this one. (Word count: 102)
The scene titled "The Raree Show, a Political Contrast to the Print of the Times" depicts a traveling exhibition booth, known as a raree show, set against a backdrop of political commentary. The artwork contrasts the spectacle of the booth with the pressing issues of the day, using visual satire to highlight societal or political tensions.
Read the full account in the museum source.
William Hogarth (; 10 November 1697 – 26 October 1764) was an English painter, engraver, satirist, cartoonist and writer.
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