‘The Arts and Manufactures of Turkey.’ 1850. Lithograph, 5 x 9½ inches. This is Sala’s satirical view of Turkish culture, which is characterized as a combination of outlandish costumes, the consumption of coffee, dancing, smoking and the tyrannical application of the law. The figures, with their over-large heads, seem like marionettes from a children’s book, with facial expressions varying between astonishment and bemusement. The levity of the humour only hints at, and sometimes seems at odds with, the bitterness of the commentary. [Click on image to enlarge it.]
Photograph and text by Simon Cooke. You may use this image without prior permission for any scholarly or educational purpose as long as you (1) credit the photographer and (2) link to this URL in a web document or cite it in a print one.
Bibliography
Sala, G. A. The Great Exhibition: ‘Wot is to Be’. London: The Committee for Keeping Things in Their Places [Ackermann], 1850.
Created 31 August 2021