Fotoreproductie van een prent naar een schilderij van een jongen die een klaslokaal binnenkomt door William Mulready before 1873

This photograph is taken from an engraving by J.T. Smith, after a painting by William Mulready called "The Last In." Painted in 1835, it was exhibited at the Academy in the same year. The image depicts a boy entering a classroom, likely late for his lessons, and the reactions of the children inside. In its time, Mulready’s paintings were celebrated as classic examples of British genre art. But what does it really tell us? The painting's title suggests a moral lesson about punctuality and diligence. However, looking at the social context of the time, the image might also be seen as a commentary on the changing nature of education in Britain and the rise of a meritocratic ideal, where success was increasingly linked to academic achievement. By examining the archives of the Royal Academy, early Victorian school textbooks, and other paintings by Mulready, one can explore the role of art in shaping and reflecting Victorian attitudes towards education, class, and social mobility.