After

"After" by William Hogarth is a significant 1736 print executed through the meticulous processes of etching and engraving. This particular impression is designated as the first of three known states, revealing the initial compositional decisions before subsequent revisions were made to the plate. As a printmaker working during the Georgian era, Hogarth often used his works to critique contemporary English society, delivering complex moral narratives in visual form designed for mass consumption.

The composition centers on a tumultuous bedroom scene following a night of apparent conflict or passion. A disheveled woman, clutching her hair, recoils from a partially-dressed man who appears to be pleading or explaining himself. The setting is intimate yet chaotic; the cluttered environment reinforces the theme of domestic disorder common to Hogarth’s satirical series. The inclusion of a small dog, which often symbolized loyalty or fidelity in 18th-century compositions, observes the dramatic tension unfolding between the couple.

This work is frequently understood as the thematic counterpart to another print, Before, though After captures the subsequent reckoning and heightened emotional distress. Hogarth’s masterful command of line and shadow in the etching process made his narratives accessible and popular, resulting in the wide distribution of his prints across London society. The Metropolitan Museum of Art holds this important example of 18th-century satire in its extensive collection of graphic arts. Today, high-resolution images of Hogarth's work are frequently accessible in the public domain, allowing enthusiasts worldwide to study these influential visual narratives of societal critique.