Age of Money

Episode image for Age of Money

Episode 5 of 7

Duration: 1 hour

In the 18th century, the triumph of commerce led to the emergence of a new 'middle' class, a group of people who craved pleasure and novelty, and developed its own tastes in art. The result was a golden age in painting, with Hogarth, Reynolds and Gainsborough reinventing the British style.

The story ends in 1805 with the burial of Horatio Nelson, a commoner, at the heart of St Paul's: the supremacy of the middle class assured.

  • Photo: David Dimbleby admires Rake's Progress

    Photo: David Dimbleby admires Rake's Progress

    David Dimbleby views William Hogarth's series of paintings entitled A Rake's Progress, which is housed at Sir John Soane museum in London.

    Wikipedia: A Rake's Progress

  • Photo: David Dimbleby tests the gold

    Photo: David Dimbleby tests the gold

    Is this gold the real thing? David Dimbleby gets his teeth into an ingot while visiting the vaults of the Bank of England.

    Wikipedia: Bank of England

Credits

Presenter
David Dimbleby
Director
Kate Misrahi
Producer
Kate Misrahi
Executive Producer
Basil Comely

Broadcasts

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Commercial Availability

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