Four Heads From the Raphael Cartoons at Hampton Court

Four Heads From the Raphael Cartoons at Hampton Court by William Hogarth is a distinguished example of late 18th-century British printmaking, created in 1781. The piece utilizes the complex intaglio medium of etching combined with the tonal effects of aquatint, resulting in a depth of contrast suitable for rendering dramatic light and shadow. The Metropolitan Museum of Art holds this impression, classified as the second and final state of the print.

The subject matter centers on four distinct heads of men, meticulously copied and isolated from the famed tapestry designs known as the Raphael Cartoons, which were housed at Hampton Court Palace. These Cartoons were considered essential material for academic study in Georgian England, influencing generations of artists. Rather than reproducing the full narrative context of the masterworks, Hogarth deliberately extracts these expressive faces, focusing attention on the intensity of the figures’ emotional states and the detail of their masculine features. This approach emphasizes the expressive potential found in isolating elements from the grand tradition of the Old Masters.

Although Hogarth himself died in 1764, the production of this print seventeen years later underscores the continuing demand for his works, both for technical study and collecting. This specialized work demonstrates the artist’s proficiency in manipulating multiple printing processes. The work, a seminal example within the history of British prints, offers insight into Hogarth’s sophisticated dialogue with classical sources. Given the age and significance of the work, high-resolution images are widely available through the museum’s data, often placing the image within the wider purview of the public domain.