On a Journey to a Courtship in Wales Possibly 1795

Richard Newton created this hand-colored etching titled "On a Journey to a Courtship in Wales" around 1795. It offers a window into the social satire of late 18th-century Britain. Newton uses caricature to mock social climbers and their obsession with pedigree. The figures, perched precariously on goats labeled "Leake" and "Chase," embody the absurdity of seeking status through lineage. The scroll one figure carries, proclaiming "Pedigree Before the Flour," is a direct jab at those who value ancestry over merit or wealth. Made during the reign of George III, a period marked by both aristocratic privilege and burgeoning middle-class aspirations, the print comments on the anxieties and pretensions of British society. Studying satirical prints like this one can offer historians invaluable insights into the social attitudes and cultural values of the time. Researching period newspapers, pamphlets, and personal correspondence can further contextualize the print's meaning, reminding us that art always exists within a specific social and institutional framework.