Comic colour etching by James Gillray (1757-1815) entitled 'Scientific Researches! - New Discoveries in Pneumaticks! - or - an Experimental Lecture on the Powers of Air.' Gillray is caricaturing the experiments with laughing gas at the Royal Institution. The lecturer is probably Thomas Garnett, or Thomas Young who succeeded him in July 1801. His asistant lecturer from July 1801, Humphry Davy (1778- 1829) is operating the hydraulic bellows filled with laughing gas. Benjamin Thompson, Count Rumford, the founder of the Royal Institution is standing in the doorway. Published by H Humphrey.

Gillray, James

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