Adoremus!
…And thank you for another lovely term!
We adore you, O Denizens!!
Aka: Honoré Daumier, We worship you, beloved voter, from 'News of the day,' published in Le Charivari, May 5, 1869
Image here from New York, The Met, The Elisha Whittelsey Collection, The Elisha Whittelsey Fund, 1956, 56.638.7, at https://www.metmuseum.org/art/collection/search/756602
Goodness me… here we are, already at the end of term! We hope that you’ve enjoyed it as much as we have!
Thomas Rowlandson, The Poll, April 12, 1784
This image: New York, The Met, The Elisha Whittelsey Collection, The Elisha Whittelsey Fund, 1959, 59.533.56(b), at https://www.metmuseum.org/art/collection/search/789558
As we head into our reduced summer programme, we’re also hoping to get a little R&R at some point.
I predict some fiction for me, and some garden-pottering for Robert! But our most immediate priority is illustrated right.
No… don’t worry… we’re not setting up a see-saw in the garden (and of course neither of us would be thus en déshabillé even were one in situ). Instead, we’ll be exercising our civic rights at our local polling station tomorrow (fully dressed, natch).
Portillo Moment, 1843-stylee
Aka: Honoré Daumier, L’Election, published in La Charivari, April 17/18, 1843
Image here from New York, Brooklyn Museum, X1042.52, at https://www.brooklynmuseum.org/opencollection/objects/156677
Then it will be time to crack out the midnight oil to see where will provide 2024’s “Portillo Moment”.
Fear not, though - Wrightington Towers is not politically partisan, so no hectoring is involved in the making of this post!
…Well. Full disclosure: we are individually partisan, but our respective political leanings mean that Wright History is a broad church. Whatever the outcome, your celebration or despondency will be echoed by at least one of us, so please accept solidarity, empathy, or sympathy from us in due course!
Robert and I do, however, agree on one thing: there’s a long tradition of shameless politicking. And an equally long tradition of mocking it!
James Gillray, Election-candidates, or, The republican-goose at the top of the polle the devil helping behind! May 20, 1807
This image: New Haven, Yale University Library, Lewis Walpole Library, at https://collections.library.yale.edu/catalog/15815763
The initial draft of this post contained something along the lines of: “if only today’s politicians would go the extra mile as did their C19 counterparts” (see right)… and then Mr Davey surpassed what had already been an extraordinary campaign strategy with his bungee jump.
Be careful what you wish for, I guess…!
Of course “hugging all the babies, kissing all the ladies” (à la Mr Bowie’s painfully prescient 1974 comment on the cult of political celebrities) is at least potentially more problematic than it used to be, but hey - waddyaknow? Shameless and scandalous kissing to secure votes was A Thing - and, moreover, A Thing to be mocked - back in the C18.
Nothing new under the sun! And yes - the Dutchess in question, is indeed, that the Duchess (she’s also one of the see-sawing ladies supra).
Shameless? Moi??
And yes… this is leading me smoothly not-so-subtly - nay, shamelessly - on to what we’ll be doing once we’ve recovered from our late-night results-watching, namely this Saturday’s first session of Hogarth, Gillray, and Daumier: The not-so-subtle art of satire.
Several of you have commented on my frequent use of C18 and C19 satirists’ works here over the years, and I confess that I have become rather attached to them, despite their regular crudeness and cruelty. Do be warned - there may be some images which may make some of us a little squeamish, but as ever with satire, it’s all about the context! And no - it’s not too late to join us for it!
William Hogarth, The Painter and his Pug, 1745
London, Tate Britain. Image here via https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:The_Painter_and_His_Pug_by_William_Hogarth.jpg
[Bonus fun fact: Hogarth’s dog was called Trump. I make no further comment…!]
The next course I want to mention here is a new one - and not in the least bit potentially squeam-inducing!
I’m delighted to announce that Robert will be offering a short course on local history to our good friends at PLACE this autumn, to which Denizens of Wright History are also very welcome:
For those of you unfamiliar with PLACE, it’s an educational charity focussing primarily on the people, landscape and cultural environment of the historic county of Yorkshire. Robert has long enjoyed the support and encouragement of PLACE and its denizens, and we’re delighted to have been invited back. For details of PLACE, see here.
Honoré Daumier, The electoral machine gun. What a strewing of flowers, from 'News of the day,' published in Le Charivari, May 11, 1869
Image here: New York, The Met, Rogers Fund, 1922, 22.61.259, at https://www.metmuseum.org/art/collection/search/756533
…And of course before the excitement of Roman Yorkshire, our attentions are turning to more distant horizons, with the virtual Grand Tour of our summer programme’s courses (now with added Nero)!
And in the shorter term, there’s the small matter of the “electoral machine gun”! Rest assured, we’ll be here “on the other side”, and promise not to mention anything election-related unless you do first!