The Duke of N-'s Levée, an illustration from Tobias Smollett's "The Expedition of Humphry Clinker" (London, 1793), Vol. 1 1793

This illustration by Charles Grignion, was printed in London in 1793. It appears in the first volume of Tobias Smollett's novel, "The Expedition of Humphry Clinker." The scene depicts the Duke of N’s levée, a formal reception where individuals seek favor and attention from a nobleman. Through caricature, Grignion critiques the social structures of the time. The gathering highlights the superficiality and self-interest prevalent in aristocratic circles. The visual codes of dress and body language mark the figures as members of a self-serving elite, with the Duke acting as a kind of caricature of oriental despotism. To understand this satire, we need to consider the complex social and political landscape of late 18th-century England. Archival sources, such as letters and political pamphlets, alongside studies of the period’s art market, help us to decode the image's critique of its contemporary society. Art history, then, is vital as a means of access to lost social worlds.