Credulity, Superstition, and Fanaticism

Credulity, Superstition, and Fanaticism by William Hogarth is a powerful example of 18th-century British social satire, executed in 1762. This intricate print, classified specifically as an etching and engraving, represents the second and final state of the work. The medium allowed Hogarth to achieve the high level of detailed caricature and dramatic contrast necessary for his sharp critiques of contemporary cultural excesses.

The composition targets the excessive emotionalism and anti-intellectualism Hogarth saw emerging in certain evangelical movements of his era. The scene depicts a crowded religious gathering filled with highly agitated men and women whose expressions range from ecstatic fervor to bewildered hysteria, underscoring the dangers of blind faith. Hogarth includes numerous bizarre elements, such as a clock set to the year 1762, filled with images symbolizing irrationality, and a barometer measuring degrees of "Madness."

Among the chaotic subjects, the print contains the image of a rabbit, an explicit reference to the notorious medical fraud of Mary Toft, who decades earlier convinced London physicians that she had given birth to rabbits. This detail serves as a visual metaphor, criticizing the public's widespread gullibility and susceptibility to spectacle and rumor over reason.

As a master of the engraved satire, Hogarth utilized the detailed technique of etching and engraving to solidify his legacy as a visual chronicler and critic of contemporary society. The work remains a significant piece of Enlightenment-era social criticism, demonstrating the power of prints to disseminate commentary widely. This particular impression is held in the permanent collection of the Metropolitan Museum of Art.