Gullible Collection

Cunicularii or the Wise Men of Godliman in Consultation, 1726 (engraving)
XJF867967 Cunicularii or the Wise Men of Godliman in Consultation, 1726 (engraving) by Hogarth, William (1697-1764); Private Collection; (add.info.: Story of Mary Toft, the woman)

Le Md de chaines de suretés, 1840. Creator: Honore Daumier
Le Md de chaines de suretes, 1840. La chaine de surete ainsi nomme par ce qu'elle est un moyen sur de faire savoir que le badaud qui l'achete posse une montre

The Show-man, 1799. Creator: Monogrammist J.A
The Show-man, 1799. Keep your eye close to the Glass - and you will see a large / vide place full of Death and Destruction - where more / plagues await de frequenters den contained in de famous Box

The Quacksalver, 1648. Creator: Adriaen van Ostade
The Quacksalver, 1648

Le Marchand d'orviétan ou l'opérateur Barri, c.1743. Creator: Etienne Jeaurat
Le Marchand d'orvietan ou l'operateur Barri, c.1743. The Doctor's Visit, or "The Charlatan". Orvietan was a concoction of partially toxic herbs, wine, and dissolved honey

Open Your Mouth and Shut Your Eyes (Harpers Weekly), May 16, 1874. Creator: Unknown
Open Your Mouth and Shut Your Eyes (Harpers Weekly), May 16, 1874

German cartoon on the gullibility of women, 1850 (litho)
5208499 German cartoon on the gullibility of women, 1850 (litho) by German School, (19th century); Private Collection; (add.info.: German cartoon on the gullibility of women, 1850)

Stupid August (chromolitho)
2782800 Stupid August (chromolitho) by European School, (19th century); Private Collection; (add.info.: Stupid August. Liebig card, published in late 19th or early 20th century)

At the Fortune Teller, from le Bon Genre, 1800 (colour litho)
CHT189338 At the Fortune Teller, from le Bon Genre, 1800 (colour litho) by French School, (19th century); Bibliotheque des Arts Decoratifs, Paris

A Rakes Progress II: The Rakes Levee, 1733 (oil on canvas)
SJS72327 A Rakes Progress II: The Rakes Levee, 1733 (oil on canvas) by Hogarth, William (1697-1764); 62.2x75 cm; Courtesy of the Trustees of Sir John Soanes Museum

The Speculator, 1852. Creator: Francis William Edmonds
The Speculator, 1852

Cunicularii, or the Wise Men of Godlimon in Consultation, December 1726

Admiration with Astonishment (Le Brun Travested, or Caricatures of the Passions), January 21, 1800

The Fool Who Sells Wisdom, ca. 1818. Creator: Godefroy Engelmann
The Fool Who Sells Wisdom, ca. 1818. [Le fou qui vend la sagesse]

A Couple in an Interior with a Gypsy Fortune-Teller, ca. 1632-33. Creator: Jacob Duck
A Couple in an Interior with a Gypsy Fortune-Teller, ca. 1632-33

Predatory lawyers, 1770. A gullible citizen between two lawyers; the one on the left knowingly lays his finger to his nose while the other smiles reassuringly at his client in a satire on legal

Credulity, Superstition and Fanaticism. A medley, 1762. Artist: William Hogarth
Credulity, Superstition and Fanaticism. A medley, 1762; Methodist meeting at Whitefields Tabernacle on Tottenham Court Road, London

English Credulity, or The Invisible Ghost, 1762. Illustration from Social Caricature in the Eighteenth Century... With over two hundred illustrations by George Paston

The Magician or Bottle Cungerer. English Credulity: or, Ye re all Bottled, 1749. Illustration from Social Caricature in the Eighteenth Century

Mesmer conducting a baquet in Paris
Franz Anton Mesmer (1734 - 1815), German physician and hypnotist, treating patients in a group, in a session which he called a baquet (named after the large vessel in the middle of the room)

Wonderful Learned Pig
The wonderful learned pig amazes all who encounter it. Date: 1785

The Doctors in Labour, or a New Whim Wham from Guildford, 1726 (etching)
XJF867842 The Doctors in Labour, or a New Whim Wham from Guildford, 1726 (etching) by English School, (18th century); Private Collection; (add.info.: BM 1868, 0808.3514); English, out of copyright

The Magician, or Bottle Crungerer / English Credulity or Ye re all Bottled, 1749
XJF867806 The Magician, or Bottle Crungerer/English Credulity or Ye re all Bottled, 1749 (etching) by English School, (18th century); Private Collection; (add.info.: BM 1868, 0808.3870); English

Charlatans in the Piazzetta San Marco, Venice (oil on canvas)
XIR19998 Charlatans in the Piazzetta San Marco, Venice (oil on canvas) by Bella, Gabriele (1730-1799); Galleria Querini-Stampalia, Venice, Italy; Italian, out of copyright

Fortune-Hunting
Coloured engraving, " Fortune-Hunting" published by H. Humphrey, London, 20 November 1804. HPG/8/2/1 (xli)"

Artful Cards
A gullible looking young man in plus fours and flat cap is encouraged to bet on a three card trick by a group of Jewish touts

Buying a Tie 1898
A young salesman entices a gullible gentleman into buying one of his new range of colourful neckties

JANE GIBBS impostor who pretends to be a servant or a Quaker afflicted by misfortune, wheedling mony from gullible gentlemen

Johann Tetzel
JOHANN TETZEL German Dominican monk, notorious for trafficking in indulgences whereby gullible persons purchased release from purgatory

Street Doctor 1877
A street " doctor" attempts to sell peppermint cough lozenges to a gullible woman

Consulting the Prophet
A man consults a fortune teller on a matter of some importance

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"Gullible: A Journey Through the Folly of Humanity" In the engraving titled "Cunicularii or the Wise Men of Godliman in Consultation, 1726, " we witness a group of supposedly wise men engaging in a discussion. Little do they know that their supposed wisdom is nothing more than gullibility disguised as intellect. This artwork serves as a reminder that even those who appear knowledgeable can fall victim to their own naivety. "The Massacre, " depicted through pen and ink on paper, unveils the consequences of blind trust and gullibility. It portrays how easily people can be manipulated into committing acts against their better judgment, highlighting the dangers that lie within our susceptibility. "Open Your Mouth and Shut Your Eyes, " an illustration from Harpers Weekly in May 1874, captures a moment where individuals willingly surrender their critical thinking abilities. Blindly following instructions without questioning them showcases just how vulnerable we can be when we let go of rationality. A German cartoon from 1850 emphasizes society's perception of women's gullibility. The lithograph humorously mocks this stereotype while shedding light on the unfair assumptions made about women's ability to discern truth from deception. William Hogarth's "A Rake's Progress" series exposes one man's downfall due to his own foolishness and susceptibility to manipulation. Plate 2 shows us that even someone with wealth and privilege can succumb to deceit if they lack discernment. The chromolitho print titled "Stupid August" illustrates an individual named August who embodies sheer gullibility. His open-mouthed expression symbolizes his readiness to believe anything he hears or sees without question—a cautionary tale for all who are prone to being easily deceived. "At the Fortune Teller, " a color lithograph from le Bon Genre in 1800, depicts individuals seeking guidance from fortune tellers—an act fueled by curiosity but also rooted in vulnerability.