Boze menigte met beeltenis van Hudibras nabij de Temple Bar in Londen

Boze menigte met beeltenis van Hudibras nabij de Temple Bar in Londen is a satirical print created by William Hogarth between 1725 and 1735. This work, executed on paper, exemplifies the Georgian era's popularization of narrative social critique through widely disseminated prints. Hogarth, renowned for his caustic wit and keen observations of 18th-century English society, utilizes this medium to capture the chaos and volatility of public life.

The composition depicts a dense, volatile crowd near the iconic Temple Bar in the City of London, a site frequently associated with public executions and political unrest. The focal point of the scene is the "angry mob" surrounding a grotesque effigy, identified as Hudibras. This figure is a specific reference to Samuel Butler's celebrated 17th-century poem, which satirized Puritan fanaticism. By evoking Hudibras, Hogarth layers a historical political mockery onto a contemporary scene of popular outrage and enthusiasm, critiquing the public's susceptibility to mass hysteria and misplaced political zealotry.

As a master of the engraving technique, Hogarth successfully used prints to reach a broad audience that paintings could not access, solidifying his reputation as Britain's premier visual satirist and social chronicler. Works like Boze menigte met beeltenis van Hudibras nabij de Temple Bar in Londen are preserved in major international collections, including that of the Rijksmuseum. Given the age and historical significance of the image, this work, along with many other Hogarth prints, is frequently available in the public domain, allowing global scholars and enthusiasts to study his enduring commentary on 18th-century London life and manners.