Guinea Pigs 1789

Thomas Gaugain created this print called *Guinea Pigs* in the late 18th century. During this period in England, a sentimental culture emerged that valued emotions, family, and domesticity. This work offers us insight into those values. We see a man kneeling, presenting guinea pigs to a woman and two children. The scene emphasizes familial affection and tenderness. The setting, likely a country home, reinforces the idea of domestic tranquility, removed from the burgeoning industrial world. Yet, this idealized vision obscures the social realities of the time. The print suggests a narrative of simple pleasures, but we must ask, whose pleasures are these? The labor and social inequalities that supported such domestic scenes are rendered invisible. The guinea pigs themselves, exotic animals, speak to colonial trade and the circulation of goods and wealth. How do these small creatures become symbols of a larger, more complex world? This image encourages us to reflect on both the intimacy of family life and the broader historical forces that shaped it.