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Cartoon, Scientific Researches
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Cartoon, Scientific Researches
Cartoon, Scientific Researches! New Discoveries in Pneumaticks! or, an Experimental Lecture on the Powers of Air, by James Gillray. Showing a scene at the recently founded Royal Institution, with fashionable people watching a demonstration and experiment. The lecturer feeds a gas pipe into a mans mouth and pinches his nose, resulting in an explosion of smoke from the mans rear. The victim of the experiment is Sir John Coxe Hippisley. Humphrey Davy stands further back with hydraulic bellows containing laughing gas. Date: 1802
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Media ID 14230261
© The Sharp Illustration Collection / Mary Evans Picture Library
1800s 1802 Audience Bellows Comment Criticism Davy Demonstration Discoveries Discovery Experiment Experimental Explosion Gillray Harsh Hydraulic Institution Laughing Lecture Lecturer Mouth Nose Pinch Pinching Pipe Pneumatic Pneumatics Rear Research Researches Satire Satirical Scientific Spectators Victim Watching Fashionable
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James Gillray's satirical print, "Cartoon, Scientific Researches! New Discoveries in Pneumaticks! or, an Experimental Lecture on the Powers of Air," depicts a scene at the recently founded Royal Institution in London, where fashionable people gather to witness an experimental lecture. In the foreground, a lecturer, possibly Humphrey Davy, feeds a gas pipe into the mouth of Sir John Coxe Hippisley, pinching his nose to prevent him from inhaling. The result is an explosive release of smoke from Hippisley's rear, showcasing the unexpected and potentially dangerous consequences of the latest scientific discoveries in pneumatics. The print, dated 1802, reflects the public's fascination and curiosity, as well as their skepticism and fear, towards scientific advancements of the time. The use of humor and satire in Gillray's work highlights the political and social commentary that was common in the 1800s. In the background, Davy stands further back, holding hydraulic bellows filled with laughing gas, adding to the sense of experimentation and discovery. The spectators in the audience, some amused and others alarmed, represent the varied reactions to scientific progress. This print offers a glimpse into the scientific and cultural landscape of the early 19th century, showcasing the intersection of science, politics, and society. The image is a reminder of the human curiosity that drives scientific exploration, as well as the risks and uncertainties that come with new discoveries.
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