Columbus Breaking the Egg

"Columbus Breaking the Egg" is a significant print created by William Hogarth in 1753. This satirical work, classified as a print, showcases the artist's skill in etching and engraving, presented here as the second state of two. This particular medium allowed Hogarth to widely disseminate his observational commentary on intellectual life and contemporary English society.

The work directly references the famous historical anecdote, often attributed to Christopher Columbus, where he challenges his skeptics to make an egg stand on its end, demonstrating that a difficult problem appears simple once the solution is revealed. Hogarth employed such well-known references to critique modern pretensions, particularly among intellectuals and the Royal Society. The composition focuses intently on the men gathered to witness the act, using the simple physical presence of the eggs and the resulting broken shell to explore the nature of originality versus imitation.

This piece functions less as a historical illustration and more as a moral observation, characteristic of the artist’s broader satirical output. Hogarth's detailed handling of the lines in the etching emphasizes the dramatic tension among the figures observing the demonstration, highlighting their varying reactions to the simple solution.

As a classic example of Hogarth's narrative style, this piece is frequently studied for its symbolic use of common objects to convey complex ideas about genius and discovery. The work is a fine example of eighteenth-century British printmaking and resides in the distinguished collection of the Metropolitan Museum of Art, where it serves as a key reference for understanding Hogarth's enduring contributions to the history of prints.