Deceitful Kisses, or The Pretty Plunderers
1781
John Collet created this cheeky 1781 satire where a bewildered gentleman is being smothered with affection by three women, but don't let the smiles fool you—the title 'Deceitful Kisses' gives away the game. While he's distracted by the flattery, his pockets are likely being picked, a classic tale of seduction and theft typical of the era's moralizing prints. The real punchline is in the corner: a monkey perched on the curtains reading a paper that asks 'Who's the DUPE,' mocking the man's obliviousness. It's a hilarious warning from the Georgian era about the dangers of trusting too easily, dressed up in the elaborate wigs and fancy clothes of the late Rococo period.
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