The Laughing Audience by William Hogarth, 1697-1764

William Hogarth, 1697-1764
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The Laughing Audience

Original etching in black ink. 1733/37. Early impression, either lifetime or as issued by Jane Hogarth. After the plate had been cut-down by Hogarth from its first use as a subscription ticket for the 'Rake's Progress' set of engravings. Probably originally issued for the 'Four Groups of Heads'.
Ref: Paulson - Hogarth's Graphic Works no. 130 iv/iv

Extremely fine strongly contrasted and sparkling impression. On pale cream laid 18th century paper. Trimmed within the platemark but with approx. 1/4 ins margins beyond the image, as is often the case for impressions in this state. Generally excellent condition, some ink offset from another impression on the reverse only. Sheet: 7 1/2 x 6 3/4ins. Image to border: 7 x 6 1/8ins (178x151mm)

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William Hogarth was perhaps the most important English painter of his age. He was born into a very troubled period of English history, and in particular of social history, and he saw the role of his art as highlighting the absurdities and injustices of many of the social, and moral, practices of the period. Many of his works use the genre of caricature not so much to amuse and entertain, although they do that as well, but rather as a way of illustrating and highlighting such practices. Popular themes are given a new and more profound significance in his art.

Hogarth was also uniquely aware if the role that printmaking could play as an artistic medium. He quickly came to realise that the market for full oil paintings was very limited, and as he had to live from his work, he concluded that prints could be made to reach and appeal to a much wider audience whilst at the same time becoming serious works of art in their own right. It was this realisation, and his extraordinary inborn talent as an etcher and engraver, which marks the beginning of the concept of true artistic and creative printmaking in British art.

Hogarth's prints came to be highly prized and, after his widow Jane sold the plates to other publishers following his death, many later impressions were pulled, often after the plates had been extensively reworked. All the engravings included in this catalogue are from the rare lifetime editions, or in impressions issued by Jane Hogarth before any retouching to the plates.

This composition was originally etched by Hogarth to use as a subscription ticket with which to apply for his forthcoming set 'The Rake's Progress'. However such was the popularity of the image that he erased the 'subscription lettering' and offered it as a single print. It is a wonderful example of the caricature element in Hogarth's art.