Evening talk-- “Seen With Great Delight”: Spectacle in Georgian London

Alison FitzGerald, Associate Professor in the Department of History, Maynooth University, Ireland, will present a talk on her exhibition "See on view at the Lewis Walpole Library.

What was considered a “spectacle” in Georgian London? Was it a balloon ascent, a sophisticated silver swan that could mimic the appearance of life, a handsome Irish giant, an exhibition of paintings? This talk considers the broad spectrum of exhibitions that were presented to the fee-paying public during this period. From displays of art and mechanical ingenuity to scientific experiments and wondrous beings, all were commercialized in the bustling metropolis. Drawing upon materials in the Lewis Walpole Library, this talk considers what was regarded as eminently remarkable in this context. It also illustrates how some hapless spectators were satirized, making spectacles of themselves at the exhibitions that they had paid to see.

This is the latest in the series of joint Lewis Walpole Library - Farmington Libraries Talks

Space is limited, and registration in advance is required.