Thursday 18th September 2025
Rupert Dickens
At the root of the long British tradition of political satire is William Hogarth’s Election Entertainment series of paintings and prints from the 1750s. His ruthless exposure of electoral corruption and hypocrisy sets the stage for later generations of satirists including James Gillray, Private Eye and today’s digital artist Cold War Steve. We will look closely at the Election series, explain Hogarth’s many jokes and references and reveal some themes with surprising topical relevance, from voter identification to theRupe politics of immigration.
