Hudibras Sallying Forth (Seventeen Small Illustrations for Samuel Butler's Hudibras, no. 1)

Hudibras Sallying Forth (Seventeen Small Illustrations for Samuel Butler's Hudibras, no. 1) by William Hogarth is the inaugural piece in the artist's important sequence of etchings dedicated to Samuel Butler’s famous 1663 satirical poem. Executed between 1721 and 1726, this small-scale work is a masterful early example of the artist’s developing skill in the print medium, utilizing both etching and engraving techniques to achieve fine detail and characteristic contrasts. As one of the earliest English artists to successfully make satirical prints a primary focus of his career, Hogarth brilliantly encapsulates the mock-heroic and farcical spirit of the source material.

The illustration depicts the central figure, the Presbyterian knight Sir Hudibras, as he mounts his horse to embark on an absurd and pompous adventure. Hogarth utilizes the traditional elements of Men upon Horses set against a sparsely drawn background of Trees to immediately establish the scene of the purported journey. The detailed rendition of the figure emphasizes the knight's awkwardness and girth, contrasting humorously with the supposed grandeur of his mission.

This work resides in the expansive collection of the Metropolitan Museum of Art, where it serves as a critical reference point for understanding the British political and visual culture of the 18th-century. Because of their historical significance and status as early satirical prints, reproductions of these works often enter the public domain, making Hogarth's sharp visual interpretation of Butler's classic text accessible to wider audiences for study and appreciation.