The First Shilling Day–Going In 1851

This is 'The First Shilling Day--Going In,' an engraving by George Cruikshank, a popular British artist and caricaturist. Here, Cruikshank satirizes the opening of a new London attraction, most likely a museum or gallery. Institutions like this were opening to a broader public at the time, and many designated a 'shilling day,' when admission was reduced to allow more people to visit. But the print suggests this could become a chaotic, even dangerous, scene. The crowd is densely packed. People are pushing, shoving, and even being trampled underfoot. Cruikshank was known for his social commentary. His work often critiqued the social inequalities of early 19th-century Britain. Here, he presents a skeptical view of democratized culture. Was it really possible for institutions to open themselves to the masses, or was this just another opportunity for disorder and exploitation? To understand this print, we can look to newspaper accounts and other records. These can help us to explore the social and institutional contexts in which the print was made and consumed. Only then can we understand the complex role of art within a rapidly changing society.