Conveners:
Nancy Siegel, Towson University, Towson, Maryland (nsiegel@towson.edu) ; Allison Stagg, Technische Universität Darmstadt, Germany (stagg@kunst.tu-darmstadt.de)


Satirical prints, whether published in Britain, Europe, or America during the long eighteenth century were widely consumed, circulated, and collected. Displayed and presented in various formats for a growing consumer audience, these works from the “golden age of caricature,” demonstrate the manner in which print culture functioned as a disseminating voice for satirists who used comedic and often bawdy imagery to express criticism and dissent during the turbulent end of the eighteenth century and beginning of the nineteenth century. Giving visual form to critiques and commentaries on current events, contemporary affairs, public figures and politicos, satire gave voice to the body politic.

Through explorations of how the visual culture of satirical prints functioned in the long eighteenth century, we invite papers from scholars at all ranks, affiliated and independent, that address inquires such as how were collections amassed, to whom did satirical prints appeal, and what characteristics contributed to their enduring popularity? By what means were prints advertised, displayed, and discussed? Further, what was the role of the print seller? What was the market for such prints? While there is little dispute over the enduring popularity of eighteenth and nineteenth-century satirical prints and caricatures, this session considers the role of the collector and collecting and what is known of individual collectors. Often dismissed or relegated to a caption or footnote, these individuals, for whom such artistry or content was eye catching, are largely responsible for the existence of the satirical impressions found in museum collections today.

Please send abstracts of no more than 250 words to Nancy Siegel at nsiegel@towson.edu or Allison Stagg at stagg@kunst.tu-darmstadt.de.