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Cartoon, Connoisseurs examining a collection
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Cartoon, Connoisseurs examining a collection
Cartoon, Connoisseurs examining a collection of George Morland s, by James Gillray. A satire on the popularity of Morlands paintings, focusing on fat pigs, foolish donkeys and greedy dealers. Date: 1807
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Media ID 14230317
© The Sharp Illustration Collection / Mary Evans Picture Library
1800s 1807 Collector Collectors Comment Connoisseur Connoisseurs Criticism Dealer Dealers Donkeys Examining Foolish Gillray Greed Greedy Harsh Morland Paintings Pigs Popularity Ridicule Satire Satirical
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EDITORS COMMENTS
James Gillray's 'Connoisseurs examining a collection of George Morland's' is a brilliant satirical print from 1807 that offers a scathing commentary on the popularity of the works of George Morland and the foolishness of those who collect them. In the cartoon, a group of rotund connoisseurs, their faces contorted with concentration, examine a collection of Morland's paintings. The works on display feature fat pigs, foolish donkeys, and other scenes from farm life, reflecting Morland's reputation for painting ordinary farm animals and rural scenes. The satire is directed not only at Morland's paintings but also at the collectors and dealers who drove up the market for his work. The men in the print are depicted as greedy and foolish, their eyes fixed on the paintings as they ignore the chaos and disorder around them. A dealer, with a moneybag in hand, looks on approvingly, profiting from their obsession. The print is a harsh criticism of the art market of the time, where popularity and financial gain often overshadowed artistic merit. Morland's works, which were considered common and even vulgar by some, had become highly sought after, driving up their prices and fueling the ire of those who saw themselves as arbiters of taste. The print also reflects the political climate of the time, with the satire on the connoisseurs and dealers serving as a commentary on the excesses and folly of the ruling classes. Gillray's use of humor and exaggeration adds to the impact of the print, making it a fascinating glimpse into the art world of the early 19th century.
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