Cutting Off the Nose (Modern Military Punishments)

Cutting Off the Nose (Modern Military Punishments) by William Hogarth is a powerful 18th-century etching created during the period between 1720 and 1779. As a master British printmaker and social critic, Hogarth frequently used his graphic works to expose and satirize institutional cruelty and social hypocrisy. This specific piece, classified as a print, exemplifies his use of detailed figurative composition to address contemporary concerns regarding discipline within the armed forces.

The subject matter focuses intensely on a public act of brutal punishment, aligning with the "Modern Military Punishments" subtitle. The foreground is dominated by men in military attire surrounding the central figure, preparing to carry out the eponymous act using a knife. The artist surrounds this core drama with elements symbolizing military organization and fanfare, including prominent flags and large drums, which ironically underscore the ceremony involved in the dehumanizing spectacle. In the distance, a large castle or fortified structure provides a heavy backdrop, representing the entrenched power structure that sanctions such harsh measures.

Hogarth’s keen eye for detail ensures that the etching captures the full atmosphere of the event, including peripheral characters and stray animals, such as dogs, roaming the scene, adding to the feeling of chaos and public display. The complexity of the etching technique allowed Hogarth to circulate accessible public domain prints of his satirical commentary widely. This print remains a crucial historical document of 18th-century views on justice and institutional violence. This significant work is maintained in the collection of the Metropolitan Museum of Art, New York.