Hudibras' First Adventure, plate three from Hudibras

Hudibras' First Adventure, plate three from Hudibras, created by William Hogarth English (1697-1764), is a masterful example of early eighteenth-century English printmaking. Executed between 1725 and 1726, this work utilizes etching and engraving in black on cream paper, a highly detailed technique that allowed Hogarth to achieve the fine lines and deep contrasts suitable for narrative illustration. The plate forms a crucial part of a larger series illustrating Samuel Butler’s famous satirical poem Hudibras, a scathing commentary on religious fanaticism and the turbulence of the English Civil War era.

Hogarth, renowned for his moralizing and satirical visual narratives, brought Butler’s characters to immediate life through his keen eye for comic exaggeration and societal foibles. This series, depicting the absurd adventures of the zealous Puritan knight Sir Hudibras and his squire Ralpho, cemented Hogarth's early reputation as a visual commentator on the complexities of society and politics in England. The sequential nature and relatively low cost of these prints made them highly accessible, circulating widely among the literate public and anticipating the later massive success of his iconic visual cycles.

Classified as a print, the technical execution of this work involved meticulous balancing of the spontaneity offered by etching for initial outlines and the precision of engraving for intricate shading and density. This particular impression, carefully preserved on cream wove paper, is a vital piece illustrating early Georgian literary history. It is held within the permanent collection of the Art Institute of Chicago, offering researchers and the public a foundational example of Hogarth’s groundbreaking career in prints.