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Catalogue >Fine Art >  General >  The Art of Satire: London in Caricature The Art of Satire: London in Caricature Mark Bills The Art of Satire tells the story of visual satire in London, a city in which caricature flourished like no other. For over three hundred years, comic images of London have amused a vast public. Thousands of social and political satires in paint, pencil, but most particularly in engraved form, have variously and humorously described London and its people. 250 x 215 mm, 240 pages,100 colour and 150 mono illustrations, hardback ISBN 0 85667 61336 | Retail price £29.95 Unfortunately this book is currently out of print.  [View sample pages in PDF format] Online price: £21.00 / €31.50 This enormous body of images ranges from the specific to the general: from caricature portraits of leading figures to the London 'types' recognised by all Londoners; from specific events and political debacles to the state of a typical London street. The array of approaches of artists, both 'high' and 'low,' amateur and professional, is equally wide and ranges from light-hearted mocking to vitriolic and libellous attacks. Throughout the years of production; from the independent print publisher seller to the editor of a comic journal, satirical images of London provide rare perspectives on the life of the city. The book uncovers a rich selection of illustrations from the extensive and largely unpublished collection of satirical and caricature images in the Museum of London. After exploring the significance of London as a subject and as the centre of production, the book, chronologically surveys satirical images of London life, from Hogarth¹s London to the age of Victoria considering the eclectic and vibrant tradition that continues into the twentieth century. Each chapter considers the predominant and recurrent themes of London satire through established periods of satire, its leading artists and popular visual culture. London fashion, 'high' and 'low' art, the contrast of east and west London, rich and poor are considered as they develop in London's changing society. The book encompasses new research and uses historical and literary sources to place the satire of London in the wider context of English satire as a whole. About the author Mark Bills is Curator of Paintings, Prints and Drawings at the Museum of London.