Oh, Law! from George Cruikshank's Steel Etchings to The Comic Almanacks: 1835-1853 (top left) c. 1843 - 1880

This is "Oh, Law!" a steel etching by George Cruikshank, made for The Comic Almanacks between 1835 and 1853. Cruikshank was a leading caricaturist in England during a period of rapid social and political change. These images provide a satirical commentary on the legal system and the social conditions of the time. The visual codes are quite overt: figures are rendered with exaggerated features. Cultural references, such as the imagery of marine life in "Science under Drawing Room," add to the humor and critique. These elements serve to underscore the perceived absurdity and injustice of the legal proceedings, with the artist highlighting social class divisions, which were a consistent concern in Victorian England. To understand Cruikshank's work more deeply, scholars consult periodicals, political pamphlets, and records of social reform movements. Only then can we appreciate the artist's role as a commentator on his era, and his success at challenging the status quo through his art.