A Harlot's Progress, Plate 4

A Harlot’s Progress, Plate 4 by William Hogarth, created in 1732, is a powerful installment in the artist’s seminal series of six narrative prints that traces the tragic decline of the fictional Moll Hackabout. Executed through the complex methods of etching and engraving, this impression is the first state of three, documenting the initial presentation of Hogarth’s groundbreaking moral satire. The entire series revolutionized visual storytelling in 18th-century English art, offering a severe critique of the social and economic forces that preyed upon vulnerable young women.

This piece abandons the luxurious, if morally compromised, interiors of the earlier plates, placing Moll within the harsh environment of a house of correction, traditionally identified as Bridewell prison. The scene depicts her mandated labor, forcing her to beat hemp alongside other inmates. The composition is crowded with figures, showcasing the brutal hierarchy of the correctional system. Numerous women inmates perform their labor, while supervising men, characterized by their indifference or cruelty, observe the scene.

Hogarth integrates symbolic elements to underscore Moll’s despair. A detailed feature in the foreground is a chained cat being cruelly tormented, a visual parallel reflecting Moll’s own trapped and degraded situation. This work demonstrates Hogarth’s mastery of detailed social observation and narrative sequencing through the medium of graphic satire. This historically significant work resides in the collection of the Metropolitan Museum of Art. As a major component of 18th-century British prints, high-resolution reproductions of the series are widely available through public domain resources.