A Rake's Progress, Plate 5
June 25, 1735
Medium
Etching and engraving; third state of three
Dimensions
plate: 14 x 16 1/8 in. (35.5 x 41 cm)
Classification
Prints
Department
Drawings and Prints
Museum
Metropolitan Museum of Art, New York, NY
Credit
Gift of Mrs. Carl Joseph Ulmann, 1929
Accession Number
29.38.8
Tags
Art Historical Context
**A Rake's Progress Plate 5** is the fifth installment in William Hogarth's iconic 1735 series of eight satirical prints, chronicling the tragic downfall of Tom Rakewell, a foolish heir who squanders his fortune on vice. Created in collaboration with Dr. John Hley, who contributed verses, this etching and engraving captures a pivotal moment: Tom's desperate marriage to a wealthy but elderly woman in a lavish interior, surrounded by family, clergy, a leering lawyer, and even a dog eyeing the chaos. Released on June 25, 1735, this third state of three reflects Hogarth's meticulous printmaking pr...
About the Artist
William Hogarth|Dr. John Hoadley · 1697–1764
William Hogarth (1697-1764) was an English painter, printmaker, and pictorial satirist who became the first great English-born artist to attract admiration abroad. Born into poverty in London, the son of a failed schoolmaster who was imprisoned for debt, Hogarth's early experiences with the harsh realities of 18th-century urban life profoundly shaped his artistic vision. After apprenticing with si...