The March of Intellect – William Heath c. 1800s

The March of Intellect is a satirical work by William Heath that captures Britain’s fascination with progress during the late Regency period through observation rather than advocacy.

Created around 1828–1830 and published by the London print seller Thomas McLean, the piece belongs to Heath’s celebrated series examining society’s confidence in technology and rapid modernization. The composition presents a densely populated, speculative landscape filled with imagined machines and systems, rendered with precision and restraint. The original hand-colored etching with aquatint combines etched linework with tonal washes, and this modern reproduction preserves the inscriptions, color, and structural clarity of the original within a contemporary presentation.