The Great Exhibition "Wot is to Be", Probable Results of The Industry of All Nations in The Year '51, Showing What is to be Exhibited, Who is To Exhibit, in Short How Its All Going to Be Done 1850

This satirical print was made by George Augustus Sala in anticipation of the Great Exhibition. Notice how the artist presents each nation through carefully chosen symbols. Take, for instance, Spain. What do we see? A heart, pierced perhaps, echoing the passionate, often tragic, narratives so deeply embedded in Spanish art and literature. It is reminiscent of the sacred heart, a symbol of divine love and suffering, yet here, repurposed for worldly exhibition. Then, a "Spanish Bond" represented by a '0', speaking volumes about economic prospects, or perhaps a jest at national pride versus reality. Consider how such symbols migrate and evolve. The heart, universally understood, finds its echo in devotional art across cultures, but here, grounded in the specifics of Spanish identity and economic satire. These symbols, like cultural memories, persist, transform, and resurface, carrying with them echoes of past hopes and present ironies. They engage us on a subconscious level, a potent force that transcends mere aesthetics, inviting contemplation.