Titelvignet til Smollett "Peregrine Pickles Tildragelser" 1786

This is Georg Christian Schule’s etched title vignette for the Danish translation of Smollett's "Peregrine Pickle's Tidings", made in 1788. Schule was working in a period shaped by the Enlightenment, where reason and individualism were increasingly emphasized, but social hierarchies remained rigid. The image depicts a chaotic scene, seemingly lifted straight from the novel. It presents a satirical view of society, filled with exaggerated characters and unruly behavior, with one character standing above the rest, center stage. The visual language here pulls on ideas of social and moral order, but does so through a lens of satire, which serves to question existing norms. We see a society grappling with its own identity, caught between tradition and the winds of change. The emotional impact is one of unease mixed with dark humor, highlighting the complexities and contradictions inherent in the human condition. The vignette serves as a small window into the social and intellectual landscape of the late 18th century.