Modern Refinement or The Two Maccaroni's c. 1770 - 1773

Editor: This is "Modern Refinement or The Two Maccaroni's," a watercolor and mezzotint print by Robert Dighton, dating from around 1770-1773. It has such a satiric and flamboyant feel to it, and these characters seem utterly ridiculous. What’s your take on this peculiar scene? Curator: It's a delicious skewering of societal trends. "Macaronis," you see, were young English men who adopted extravagant Continental fashions and manners. Think powdered wigs reaching ridiculous heights, ornamented clothing, and affected airs. This print exposes the anxieties of the time: the perceived threat to English identity by foreign influences, anxieties played out on bodies deemed inappropriately adorned. Editor: So, the caricature isn't just about making fun of their clothes? Curator: Absolutely not. Dighton is critiquing a performance of identity, and who is allowed to perform it. This print emerged during a period of significant social and political upheaval, with debates around national identity and class mobility intensifying. What role do you think publications like these played in such a climate? Editor: I guess, by making these "macaronis" objects of ridicule, it served to reinforce certain social norms. It says, "this is how *not* to be a proper Englishman," reinforcing anxieties surrounding the destabilization of identity and class. Were they really seen as a genuine threat? Curator: The actual threat was perhaps more perceived than real, yet the symbolic weight of these figures—what they represented in terms of social and political instability—was considerable. These satirical prints became tools for negotiating these complex social anxieties, helping the public laugh while reinforcing specific social expectations and fears. Editor: That makes so much sense. So much is packed into this single image. It makes you wonder who's laughing *now* and what they’re anxious about. Thanks for helping unpack the satire. Curator: My pleasure! It's always interesting to examine how art reflects and shapes society’s anxieties and power dynamics, no?