Gezicht op de Rotunda en het Chinese paviljoen op het kanaal in Ranelagh Gardens te Londen met een gemaskerd bal Possibly 1752

Robert Sayer made this print of the Ranelagh Gardens in London sometime in the late 18th century. It shows a masked ball, a popular form of entertainment for the upper classes at that time. The gardens themselves were a commercial venture, a private space for fashionable society. Note the Rotunda, a large circular building used for concerts and dances, dominates the scene, symbolizing the institutionalization of leisure and entertainment. The “Chinese pavilion” also points to the fashion for exoticism and the influence of global trade on British culture. This image speaks to the social stratification of 18th-century London. The gardens were an exclusive space. The masked ball offered a temporary escape from social norms, but within a carefully controlled environment. To understand this print fully, we can consult contemporary newspapers, pamphlets, and social commentaries to understand how these spaces were used and perceived by different social groups. By looking at such sources, we can gain a deeper understanding of the relationship between art, leisure, and social class in 18th-century Britain.