Crowns, Mitres, Maces, etc.

The influential English satirist William Hogarth created Crowns, Mitres, Maces, etc. in 1755. Classified as a print, this detailed work is executed using the etching technique, specifically representing the fourth and final state of the plate. The composition eschews narrative for a focused study of ceremonial objects, isolating various insignia of sovereignty and religious and legal authority, including crowns, mitres, maces, and staffs.

Hogarth frequently used his prints to offer subtle yet sharp critiques of the establishment, and this piece functions almost as a visual inventory or still life. By compiling and meticulously rendering these symbols of rank, the artist prompts reflection on the tangible trappings of power and status in 18th-century Britain. The clarity achievable in the fourth state of the etching highlights the precise line work necessary for reproducing the complex metallic and textile details of the insignia. The meticulous execution underscores Hogarth’s enduring technical skill as an engraver, even when the subject is purely symbolic rather than descriptive of a social scene.

This significant 18th-century print is part of the extensive collection of the Metropolitan Museum of Art. Its enduring status as an historic etching, now often found in the public domain, allows scholars and researchers worldwide access to study Hogarth’s pointed commentary on the structures of British power.