Drawn from the Museum’s vaults, this exhibition features rarely seen works that highlight the satirical and often biting critiques offered by artists who employed social commentary as a powerful form of expression. These works do not shy away from difficult themes — poverty, sexual exploitation, drinking, gambling — instead, they confront them directly, using art as a mirror to reflect society's darker corners.

Artists used their medium to illuminate injustices and hypocrisies, drawing attention to what many preferred to ignore. By bringing these topics out of the shadows, they invited viewers to reconsider accepted norms and exposed the inequalities, excesses, and moral ambiguities embedded in everyday life. Through their unflinching gaze, they challenged the status quo and demanded awareness.

From skewering the elite and mocking their own art circles to exposing the polarization of social classes, these artists combined technical mastery with sharp wit. Their work compels us to confront uncomfortable truths, pushing us to engage more critically with the world around us — and with the images we consume.