The New Metamorphosis, Plate 2: Fantasio at Church

Art Historical Context

In 1724, English artist William Hogarth created *The New Metamorphosis, Plate 2: Fantasio at Church* part of a series of small-scale etchings and engravings illustrating Gildon's contemporary adaptation of the ancient Roman novel *Metamorphoses*also known as *The Golden Ass*) by Lucius Madaur Apuleius. This captures a satirical moment from the story, featuring the character Fantasio in a church setting amid men, women, and imagery of the Crucifixion and Christ. Hogarth, then in his early career, used these prints to blend classical literature with sharp social commentary, poking fun at human folly and religious hypocrisy in 18th-century England. The compact dimensions— just 5½ x 2⅞ inches—highlight Hogarth's mastery of etching and engraving techniques, which allowed intricate details in a miniature format ideal for affordable distribution to a wide audience. The scene likely juxtaposes sacred elements like the Crucifixion with mundane or irreverent behaviors, a hallmark of Hogarth's emerging style that would later define his moralistic series. Housed in the Metropolitan Museum of Art's Drawings and Prints department (Harris Brisbane Dick Fund, 1932), this work exemplifies early 18th-century printmaking's role in democratizing art and satire, bridging ancient tales with modern critique for everyday viewers.

About the Artist

William Hogarth|Lucius Madaurensis Apuleius|Charles Gildon · 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...