There’s this series of engravings by William Hogarth, depicting a young man who comes into an inherited fortune – think Pip from Great Expectations – innocently gazing around the townhouse of his tight-fisted father. Hogarth’s work so often comments on the trappings of class and he was only one of many artists throughout history that used art to criticise and even break down barriers in society. So how have artists throughout history reflected and poked fun at class observations? And what role can artists have in highlighting social inequalities and creating change?

This film is part of a new series The Art of Discomfort which looks at how artists explore or present challenging themes in their work.

Content produced by: National Galleries of Scotland

To watch all the episodes of “The Art of Discomfort”, click here !