October 30 - 1793

Francesco Bartolozzi created this print, “October,” in 1783 using etching and engraving. Its idyllic scene of an apple harvest offers a window into the social values of late 18th-century England. The image presents a vision of rural life, where a family cheerfully gathers apples; however, this idealized view obscures the realities of agricultural labor, class divisions, and the enclosure movements that displaced many rural communities at the time. Bartolozzi’s print can be seen as part of a broader cultural trend in which the English aristocracy sought to legitimize its power by presenting itself as the natural stewards of the land, obscuring the economic exploitation that underpinned their wealth. To understand the print's meaning, we can consult sources from the period, such as agricultural surveys, economic treatises, and even literature to reveal the complex relationship between the image, the social realities of the time, and the institutions that shaped artistic production. By analyzing the artwork in its historical context, we can better understand the politics of imagery and the social conditions that influence art creation.