The Ball at the Mansion House April XVII, MDCCLXXV, The Right Honorable John Wilkes, Lord Mayor 1775

Curator: This is Francesco Bartolozzi's engraving, "The Ball at the Mansion House April XVII, MDCCLXXV, The Right Honorable John Wilkes, Lord Mayor." Editor: Oh, what a frilly confection! All those cherubs…it's as if a sugar plum fairy sneezed onto a formal invitation. Curator: Bartolozzi was known for his printmaking, popularizing stipple engraving. The meticulous detail suggests a highly skilled workshop involved in its production. Editor: I wonder what kind of ball it was. Knowing Wilkes, probably a politically charged rave. Look at those babies partying! Curator: Indeed. It's interesting to consider how prints like this circulated, shaping perceptions of civic events and political figures. Editor: Well, I'm charmed. It's frivolous and ornate, but also a snapshot of a very particular moment, isn’t it? Curator: Precisely. A reminder that even celebrations are embedded within social and political contexts. Editor: And that even old engravings can feel surprisingly… cheeky!