A Rake's Progress, Plate 3

A Rake's Progress, Plate 3 by William Hogarth, executed in 1735, is a pivotal work in the artist's famous series detailing the moral and financial decay of Tom Rakewell. This impression is an etching and engraving, representing the third and final state of the print, showcasing Hogarth’s mastery of the medium and his detailed narrative construction.

The scene transports the viewer into a rowdy tavern or brothel interior, where the protagonist, Tom Rakewell, is deeply immersed in the destructive pleasures of high life. The setting is dense with activity, featuring numerous men and women engaged in excessive drinking and gambling. Hogarth uses sharp social satire to depict the various types of prostitutes and criminal elements drawn to the Rake’s diminishing fortune, emphasizing the moral consequences of his lavish spending. Symbolic elements abound, such as the clock showing the time of four in the morning and the chaotic arrangement of furniture, underscoring the disarray of Rakewell’s life.

This influential print, like others in the series, solidified Hogarth’s status as a foundational figure in English visual satire and moralizing art. His prints were widely circulated and highly successful, establishing a popular market for sequential narrative artwork. Today, this example of the Georgian master’s work is held in the renowned collection of the Metropolitan Museum of Art. As this significant 18th-century work falls within the public domain, high-quality images of these seminal prints are accessible globally for research and appreciation.