Bonnet Building 20 - 1828

Curator: This is "Bonnet Building" by George Cruikshank. Look at the satirical detail! Editor: The chaos practically leaps off the page. It evokes a real sense of social upheaval, doesn’t it? Curator: Precisely. Cruikshank, known for his caricatures, is using the bonnet as a symbol here. We see it absurdly enlarged, almost monstrous. Editor: It's a clear commentary on the excesses of fashion among the wealthy, especially if we consider the social unrest simmering in that era. The bonnet becomes a symbol of elitism. Curator: It echoes earlier symbols of vanity, like Marie Antoinette's towering wigs. The image certainly suggests a similar kind of disconnect. Editor: Absolutely. It prompts us to question how displays of wealth and status contribute to broader social inequalities. Curator: Well, I see a reflection of the human tendency to adorn and distinguish oneself, expressed through the evolving iconography of fashion. Editor: And I see a pointed critique of a society teetering on the edge of revolution. Food for thought.