A Rake's Progress, Plate 4

A Rake's Progress, Plate 4, by William Hogarth, is a foundational example of 18th-century English satirical narrative, executed in 1735. This print utilizes a sophisticated combination of etching and engraving techniques, characteristic of Hogarth’s detailed, moralizing series known as "Modern Moral Subjects." The specific impression housed at the Metropolitan Museum of Art is identified as the first state of three, highlighting the meticulous process Hogarth undertook in developing his final composition for widespread public dissemination. As a highly successful series of prints, the work was designed to be easily reproducible and accessible to a broad 18th-century audience.

This segment of the Progress depicts the protagonist, Tom Rakewell, attempting a lavish but desperate entry to the royal court on the King’s birthday. The composition is purposefully chaotic and bustling, featuring numerous Men and Women observing the procession along St. James’s Street. Hogarth focuses on the hypocrisy and social stratification of London, placing Rakewell in immediate conflict. His elaborate, rented sedan chair is besieged by bailiffs and creditors, dramatically demonstrating the inevitable financial collapse following earlier dissipation and excess. The detailed rendering of surrounding Buildings provides architectural context to this dramatic public humiliation, contrasting the grand aspirations of the Rake with his rapid descent into debt.

Hogarth’s narrative brilliance lies in his ability to blend caricature with acute social observation. This work belongs to a defining sequence of prints that effectively revolutionized the field of graphic satire in Britain. The series served not only as entertainment but also as a moral warning to contemporary society. Today, this impression of A Rake's Progress, Plate 4 remains a critical piece in the collection of the Metropolitan Museum of Art. Because of its age and profound cultural importance, high-resolution reproductions of these influential 1735 prints are often available for study through public domain resources, allowing scholars worldwide to examine Hogarth’s mastery of the medium.