After

After by William Hogarth, dated 1736, is a highly recognizable work among the artist’s celebrated sequence of satirical prints from the Georgian era. Classified as an engraving, this particular impression represents the technically distinct second state of the three known versions, demonstrating the evolution of Hogarth’s detailed etching and line work.

Hogarth employed the print medium as his primary tool for social commentary, utilizing sequential narratives and richly detailed scenes to critique contemporary British society, particularly the volatile nature of relationships and morality in London. This work forms the resolution of a narrative pair that begins with the image Before, depicting the fraught emotional landscape following a private encounter.

The action is set within an intimate, disheveled bedroom. A man is shown attempting to make a hasty departure, pulling on his coat, while the woman attempts to physically restrain him, her expression a mix of pleading and distress. The scene expertly captures the tension between the figures. Characteristic of Hogarth’s compositions, the domestic drama is often observed by animals; in this case, a small dog actively engages with the figures, perhaps pulling at the man's discarded garments, underscoring the disarray and emotional chaos.

This important example of 18th-century social satire is maintained within the collection of the Metropolitan Museum of Art. Because of its foundational importance to the history of graphic arts and its age, this powerful image, like many Hogarth prints, is frequently studied and utilized through public domain resources, ensuring its continued circulation as a historical document.