Passing Characteristics in Twenty-Six Plates (cover) 1840

This is the cover to Henry Heath’s ‘Passing Characteristics in Twenty-Six Plates’, printed in London. It presents a scene of caricature, where we see grotesque figures hovering over a cauldron, with more ‘passing’ characters in the background. The image evokes Shakespeare's Macbeth, hinting at a world of deceptive appearances and hidden vices. The title itself suggests a society obsessed with superficial traits and fleeting impressions. This was a period of immense social change in England, and also a time when satirical prints were very popular. Heath’s work, published by J. R. Brookes, speaks to a broader cultural anxiety about social mobility and the blurring of class lines. Satire was one of the key ways in which artists could comment on the social structures of their time. By exaggerating physical features and mocking social types, artists like Heath provided a commentary on the changing face of British society. Further research into the publishing history of J. R. Brookes, alongside studies of popular theatre and literature of the period, would give us a richer understanding of this artwork’s cultural context.