Scientific Researches! New Discoveries in Pneumaticks! [sic] or an Experimental Lecture on the Powers of Air 23 - 1802

James Gillray made this hand-colored etching, “Scientific Researches! New Discoveries in Pneumaticks! or an Experimental Lecture on the Powers of Air,” in England, sometime around 1802. It depicts a lecture at the Royal Institution, a place founded to promote scientific research for the benefit of the British Empire. But Gillray’s not exactly celebrating this mission; instead, he satirizes the fashionable interest in science. Notice how he exaggerates the reactions of the audience, especially the women with their elaborate hats, mocking their superficial engagement with the lecture. The prominent scientist is likely Thomas Garnett who was the first professor at the Royal Institution. He is shown administering laughing gas to a volunteer. The experiment itself seems absurd, contributing to the overall sense of chaos and intellectual vapidity. Gillray, through caricature, critiques the institution's role in popularizing science, suggesting that it has become more of a spectacle for the elite than a genuine pursuit of knowledge. For more on this era, look to primary sources such as the Royal Institution’s archives and the writings of contemporary social critics. These sources reveal the complex social and cultural dynamics that shaped both science and its representation in art.