Research point - Satire

Looking at old satirical cartoons makes me feel stupid as I don't know enough about the events that they portray to understand what they are saying. Not only that but I realise that I don't know enough about contemporary events, sure I listen to the news on the radio and sometimes read the paper, especially if there is a story that I don't feel has been properly explained by the short radio news
The old lady of Threadneedle Street by James Gillray is a universal image, I'm sure that it has been used on many occasions.
Fashionable contrasts; -or- the duchess's little shoe yielding to the magnitude of the duke's foot was used more recently by Steve Bell to comment on the "special" relationship between the UK and the USA and Enchantments lately seen upon the mountains of Wales even looks like May and Trump.

I think that this comment on the treatment of slaves is very pertinent today when immigrants from the  Windrush generation were threatened with deportation. Is it a bit too obvious? Maybe a bit more subtle would be as a comment on refugees from Syria drowning as they cross the Mediterranean.

Fighting for the dunghill would be a good image to use in any global conflict, the current tensions between the USA and Russia spring to mind especially as the both believe that they know what is best for Syria. I think that The Plum Pudding in Danger is a better image but it might not make sense to a younger generation who only get steamed pudding at Christmas. For both images you could substitute a football the pudding, it doesn't have the same meaning as a pudding but a football is a universally understood symbol and if punctured it has no use.

You could modify The French Invasion to make a comment on Brexit, Theresa May could be substituted for George III and the map of Europe widened out to include more than just France. Would we be happy to see our prime minister depicted using toilet humour? Especially as she is female, we do have different sensibilities than Gillray's audience.

George Cruikshanks Old Bumblehead the 18th trying on Napoleon Boots from 1823 would fit for many of our leaders over the years who struggle to meet the perceived standards of their predecessors.

Thomas Rowlandson's The Contrast was produced as anti French propaganda but could be reworked for Brexit. Either UK vs Europe or Pro Brexit vs anti Brexit.


References
http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/magazine/6345605.stm
https://www.theguardian.com/artanddesign/2015/mar/21/satire-sewers-and-statesmen-james-gillray-king-of-cartoon
http://www.bl.uk/learning/histcitizen/campaignforabolition/sources/proslavery/johnbullcartoon/cartoonjbull.html
George Cruikshank