hogarth: the complete engravings

by William Hogarth

Essay and Engravings

267 pages, Hardcover

Published January 1, 1968

About the author

William Hogarth (10 November 1697 – 26 October 1764) was an English painter, printmaker, pictorial satirist, social critic, and editorial cartoonist who has been credited with pioneering western sequential art.

His work ranged from realistic portraiture to comic strip-like series of pictures called "modern moral subjects". Knowledge of his work is so pervasive that satirical political illustrations in this style are often referred to as "Hogarthian".

Reviews

[Erwin · Rating 3 out of 5]

William Hogarth was a painter, engraver and portrait artist... but the key to looking at his engravings is to 'read' them as John Burke says in the preface to this profusely illustrated edition.
There is a lot going in in Hogarth's Engravings and the viewer literally needs to read what is going in among the many people usually present. The art of Hogarth spans historic to comic and is filled with satire.
Hogarth documented the age he lived with all of its vices and follies and leaves an excellent history of 18th Century London and England.
The "Notes On The Plates" at the end of the book are excellent in giving a detailed account of each of the many illustrations.

[Mike Horne · Rating 5 out of 5]

I am not a big fan of Hogarth. His etchings show a pretty ugly side of society. I don't enjoy him, but he is very important if you want to understand Literature or history of the 1700s. This is an excellent book (library). I just find it hard to believe he was so popular. He would sell his prints to the middle class. Horrifying prints!