John Bull Perusing the Extraordinary Gazette c. 1808

Isaac Cruikshank created this print titled "John Bull Perusing the Extraordinary Gazette." The artwork is rendered with delicate lines and washes of color, creating a scene that is both comical and pointed. Cruikshank's composition, with two figures of unequal size facing each other, draws attention to the contrasting roles and reactions to the news. The smaller character, almost dwarfed by the paper hat, approaches the larger John Bull who squints through spectacles to read the paper. Notice the way the text and imagery coalesce, each newspaper spelling out the message and shaping the very identities within the artwork. This work uses graphic satire to destabilize established meanings through visual and textual cues. The print functions as a cultural artifact, inviting us to decode its layers of meaning and reflect on the relationship between information, power, and public perception.