The Pic-Nic Orchestra 1802

This hand-colored etching by James Gillray presents a satirical view of London’s “Pic-Nic Society”. The Pic-Nic Society, active in London in the early 1800s, was a short-lived aristocratic group who put on their own entertainments. Gillray’s image lampoons what many saw as the vulgar displays of the upper classes. We see amateur musicians struggling with their instruments, their exaggerated expressions and postures conveying a sense of cacophony. Gillray was a prolific satirist during a period of political and social upheaval in England. His prints often targeted the monarchy, politicians, and other public figures. Here, he uses caricature to critique the pretensions of the wealthy. The Pic-Nic Society, in its self-conscious embrace of spectacle and novelty, became an easy target for his wit. Historical sources, such as newspapers, diaries, and letters, can give us a fuller sense of the public debates surrounding the Pic-Nic Society. And by situating Gillray’s print within this context, we can better understand its critique of social class and cultural institutions.