Conference review: Graphic Satire and the UK in the Long Nineteenth Century

Academics from the School of Humanities recently welcomed scholars from across the United Kingdom, the United States, Ireland, Germany and Poland to a one-day symposium exploring the use and reception of graphic satire during the long nineteenth century (c.1780-1920). The symposium, convened by Profesor Fintan Cullen (History of Art) and Dr Richard A Gaunt (History), considered the varied ways in which the United Kingdom’s ascent to global status was viewed and represented in graphic satire during this period.

Papers examined key artists in this process and trans-national developments, such as the emulation of Punch magazine in Australasia. The symposium commenced with the Cust Foundation Lecture for 2017. The Cust lecture, an endowed lecture of the Department of History, is named in honour of Harry Cust, a younger son of Earl Brownlow of Belton Hall near Grantham. The lecture, delivered by Professor Brian Maidment of Liverpool John Moores University, was introduced by the Vice-Chancellor of the University of Nottingham, Professor Sir David Greenaway. In his opening remarks, Professor Greenaway commented that the period in question was the first in which globalisation became a reality. Professor Maidment lectured on the topic of ‘The Death of Caricature? The Comic Image in England 1820-1840’.

The organisers are planning to publish the proceedings of the symposium, whilst recordings of the presentations will be made available on the conference website over the course of the next few weeks. 

Event information