A Rake's Progress: pl.2

A Rake's Progress: pl.2 by William Hogarth, executed in 1735, is a masterful example of 18th-century graphic satire. This piece, created using the demanding techniques of etching and engraving, serves as the second installment in the artist's eight-part pictorial narrative illustrating the moral and financial decay of the fictional protagonist, Tom Rakewell. Originating from the British culture of the 1726 to 1750 period, the series critiques the emerging social mobility and financial excesses of early Georgian London.

The scene depicted in this influential print shows Tom Rakewell holding his morning levée, having recently come into his inheritance. Hogarth fills the composition with figures representing the various corrupting influences Tom invites into his life: a riding master, a musician, a poet, and a fencing master, all vying for his patronage. Hogarth employs sharp caricature to underscore the superficiality and mercenary intent of these hangers-on, illustrating the ease with which the newly rich could be exploited by opportunistic tutors and vendors. The overall impression is one of chaotic indulgence and poor judgment, setting the stage for Tom’s inevitable ruin detailed in the following plates of A Rake’s Progress.

As part of a series that established Hogarth as a leading figure in British art, this work is crucial for understanding the visual and moral culture of the era spanning 1726 to 1750. The accessible format and precise detail achieved through etching and engraving made such narrative works immediately popular with a wide public audience, cementing Hogarth’s reputation as a social commentator. This work resides in the permanent collection of the National Gallery of Art, offering valuable insight into the history of 18th-century prints and graphic arts. Today, due to its age and historical importance, high-resolution reproductions of these influential prints are frequently available through public domain collections worldwide.