The Age of Intellect 20 - 1828

Editor: Here we have "The Age of Intellect" by George Cruikshank. It's a print – looks like etching and engraving - with multiple vignettes. The overall impression is satirical, but what strikes me is the sheer volume of information packed into one image. What do you see in this piece? Curator: As a materialist, I'm drawn to the means of production. Cruikshank's choice of printmaking is crucial here. It allows for mass dissemination of his satirical views. Consider the social context: who was his target audience? Editor: Probably the rising middle class, given the references to education and social reform in the image. Curator: Exactly. He's commenting on the changing landscape of knowledge and power, using the very tools of mass communication to critique it. What do you make of that? Editor: It's kind of subversive! Using print to critique intellect while making it accessible to more people. Thanks for pointing that out, I now realize how meta this piece is.