William Hogarth
The Nuttall Encyclopedia [1]
A famous English painter, caricaturist, and engraver, born in London; served his time as a silversmith's apprentice; studied painting, and began to support himself by engraving and etching; unsuccessful in his attempts at portrait-painting, he at length found his true vocation in depicting the follies and vices of his age; "A Harlot's Progress," a series of six pictures engraved by himself, appeared in 1731, and was soon followed by others of a like nature, including "A Rake's Progress," "Strolling Actresses dressing in a Barn," "Marriage à la Mode," "Idleness and Industry"; he also produced some indifferent historical paintings; in 1757 he was appointed sergeant-painter to the king; in his own department Hogarth has never been equalled, and in the opinion of Sir Joshua Reynolds, never will be; the deep moral purpose of his best pictures, made known throughout the country by abundant prints, must have helped not a little to reform the manners of his time (1697-1764).
Cyclopedia of Biblical, Theological and Ecclesiastical Literature [2]
a celebrated painter, was born at London in 1697 or 1698, apprenticed to an engraver at an early age, and at the expiration of his apprenticeship entered the Academy of St. Martin's Lane. His first painting was a representation of Wanstead Assembly. In 1725 he engraved some prints for Beaver's Military Punishments of the Ancients. As a painter, he had a great facility in catching a likeness, and adopted a novel method of grouping families. He therefore devoted himself to the delineation of the calamities and crimes of private life, and the vices and follies of the age. His series of, The Hatlot's Progress; The Rake's Progress, gained him great reputation. He was an eccentric genius, and his talents were eminently in burlesque and satire. He did not excel in historical painting, but among his principal plates there are some good works by him, representing The Good Samaritan; The Pool of Bethesda; Paul Before Felix; Moses Brought to Phara'oh's Daughter. He died October 26, 1764.
