Frontispiece [left]; Title Page [right] 1859

Curator: This is George Cruikshank’s frontispiece and title page designed for Robert Blakey’s "Old Faces in New Masks." Editor: What strikes me is the playful yet grotesque parade of faces and figures. The mask motif feels quite loaded, hinting at hidden identities. Curator: Cruikshank was a master of social satire. The layering of images, from the literary references to the caricatured faces, reflects the social theater of Victorian England. Editor: Absolutely. The faces—some comical, some sinister—are timeless symbols of human nature, suggesting a continuity of character beneath changing social norms. Curator: And Cruikshank's draftsmanship reinforces the era's obsession with moralizing narratives, using visual language to convey societal critiques. Editor: It makes you wonder, what masks do we wear today? Curator: Precisely, the work invites us to consider the enduring nature of social performance.