Decimation (John Beaver, Roman Military Punishments, 1725) by William Hogarth is a striking historical etching created during the period spanning 1725 to 1779. This detailed print illustrates the harrowing Roman military practice of decimation, a severe punishment where one in ten soldiers was summarily executed for acts of cowardice or mutiny. The specific subject matter is drawn from the historical texts compiled by John Beaver, allowing Hogarth to engage with classical themes of law and order.
The composition focuses intensely on human figures undergoing and administering institutionalized violence. Hogarth renders the chaotic yet mandatory execution of soldiers with dramatic precision, highlighting the brutality inherent in ancient discipline. Although the work depicts an incident from antiquity, the vivid portrayal of the punishment mechanism allows Hogarth to offer commentary on state-sanctioned cruelty and the limits of military authority, themes highly resonant in 18th-century Europe.
As a significant example of the artist’s output in the print medium, Decimation showcases Hogarth's ability to imbue historical narrative with powerful psychological intensity. The visual force of the scene firmly establishes the consequence of indiscipline among the ranks of soldiers. This seminal print resides in the collection of the Metropolitan Museum of Art, serving as a critical public domain resource for the study of British etching and historical illustration.
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