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| William Hogarth, Marriage à-la-mode: The Tête à Tête, 1743 |
William Hogarth's satirical artwork criticizing the 18th century's societal and political flaws became a precursor to today's political cartoons. Magazines like The New Yorker take the same stance of wry humor that Hogarth used to critique social practices and events in his time.
Among Hogarth's most famous works is his six-painting series entitled Marriage à-la-mode. The chronological series follows a marriage based on economic gain rather than love. Hogarth illustrates the scandal and tragedy that can result from this skewed concept of matrimony.
A tête à tête is a private conversation or occurence between two people. However, this scene hardly seems private. The couple sits exposed, with a glowing light illuminating their debauchery in all its glory. Two figures detract from the privacy of this moment as well. On the left, the couple's accountant stands, bills in hand, behind a toppled chair with a face that portrays equal parts shock, disgust, and resignation. A startled butler stands further back, jaw-dropped.
The saints and cupids hanging on the walls seem to look down judgmentally at the couple, and with good reason. The young woman, reclined on a chair with her bodice noticeably loosened, boasts a smug expression. She holds a mirror in her outstretched hand, perhaps signaling at her lover. Though this lover does not appear in the painting, his implied existence detracts from the intimacy of this "husband-wife" scene. The husband, meanwhile, also boasts several signs of infidelity. A large black syphilis patch on his neck contrasts with his pale skin. The young man also displays a slightly more insidious sign of debauchery dangling from his pocket. A small dog sniffs the woman's bonnet that the husband seems to have hastily stowed in his pocket to hide any evidence of his extramarital activities.
Hogarth's work is filled with snarky and subtle commentary on "modern marriage." He suggests that a marriage based on financial gain cannot lead to a pure, happy life. Alongside several portraits of saints, a mostly covered canvas displays a single nude foot. This suggestion of a distasteful nude portrait, added to the array of tacky figurines on the mantle, imply that the marriage as a whole may be in bad taste and doomed. Additionally, a broken sword in the bottom right corner suggests impotence. Hogarth's inclusion of hidden symbols and details helps his series of moral paintings to convey their purpose.
Among Hogarth's most famous works is his six-painting series entitled Marriage à-la-mode. The chronological series follows a marriage based on economic gain rather than love. Hogarth illustrates the scandal and tragedy that can result from this skewed concept of matrimony.
A tête à tête is a private conversation or occurence between two people. However, this scene hardly seems private. The couple sits exposed, with a glowing light illuminating their debauchery in all its glory. Two figures detract from the privacy of this moment as well. On the left, the couple's accountant stands, bills in hand, behind a toppled chair with a face that portrays equal parts shock, disgust, and resignation. A startled butler stands further back, jaw-dropped.
The saints and cupids hanging on the walls seem to look down judgmentally at the couple, and with good reason. The young woman, reclined on a chair with her bodice noticeably loosened, boasts a smug expression. She holds a mirror in her outstretched hand, perhaps signaling at her lover. Though this lover does not appear in the painting, his implied existence detracts from the intimacy of this "husband-wife" scene. The husband, meanwhile, also boasts several signs of infidelity. A large black syphilis patch on his neck contrasts with his pale skin. The young man also displays a slightly more insidious sign of debauchery dangling from his pocket. A small dog sniffs the woman's bonnet that the husband seems to have hastily stowed in his pocket to hide any evidence of his extramarital activities.
Hogarth's work is filled with snarky and subtle commentary on "modern marriage." He suggests that a marriage based on financial gain cannot lead to a pure, happy life. Alongside several portraits of saints, a mostly covered canvas displays a single nude foot. This suggestion of a distasteful nude portrait, added to the array of tacky figurines on the mantle, imply that the marriage as a whole may be in bad taste and doomed. Additionally, a broken sword in the bottom right corner suggests impotence. Hogarth's inclusion of hidden symbols and details helps his series of moral paintings to convey their purpose.
