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Master Impressions from the UAMA Collections:
William Hogarth
In 1731, William Hogarth (British, 1697-1764) created a new form of art,
one he called "modern moral subjects." He began telling stories of
contemporary life, through a series of "scenes" that could be engraved
and sold to the general public. Hogarth's approach was not to preach
virtue, but instead to satirize vice and folly. This approach was so
effective that it earned him the title of "Comic History Painter" from
his friend Henry Fielding.
Marriage A-la-Mode or A Variety of Modern Occurences
in High Life was by far Hogarth's most popular and enduring of
these "moral" series. Painted mainly in 1743 and published in 1745, it
contains all the elements that make Hogarth a master satirist. Not only
is the series a keenly observed and savage caricature of the aspirations
and foibles of the upper classes, it also contains clever allusions to
proverbs and slang of the day, as well as innumerable background details
that contribute to the meaning of each scene.
The story is not a pretty one. It begins with a marriage arranged by
two self-seeking fathers: one, a rich Alderman of the City of London who
craves social status and buys it by marrying off his helpless daughter;
and the other, the Earl of Squander — a spendthrift nobleman who
desperately needs cash and acquires it by marrying off his foppish and
unprincipled son. There is never any question of love or even
compatibility. Flush with money but no moral grounding, the married
couple soon strays into foolish diversions and adultery — and then
subsequently to venereal disease, murder and suicide.
Hogarth hired three highly skilled French engravers working in London to
produce the series: Bernard Baron (plates II and III), Gérard
Jean-Baptiste Scotin (plates I and VI) and Simon-François Ravenet
(plates IV and V). As these were reproductive engravings copied
directly from the original works, the printings are in reverse of the
paintings. The original paintings can be found today in the National
Gallery of Art, London.
Master Impressions from the UAMA Collections:
This series of small, rotating presentations showcases the exceptional
breadth and depth of the UAMA print collection. These
selections offer focused consideration of a particularly significant
artist or theme, and elucidate some of the most influential developments
in the Western printmaking tradition.
See the related exhibitions
Visit our Exhibition History page for information on past exhibitions at UAMA. UAMA: (520) 621-7567 
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