Hudibras Triumphant, plate four from Hudibras

"Hudibras Triumphant, plate four from Hudibras" is a significant early satirical print created by William Hogarth English, 1697-1764, dating from 1725-1726. This piece belongs to a series illustrating Samuel Butler’s famous 17th-century narrative poem Hudibras, which served as a biting satire on the religious and political extremism of the English Civil War era. Hogarth’s work brought these complex political allusions and comical characters to life for 18th-century audiences in England.

The technique employed involves a combination of etching and engraving, executed in black ink on cream paper that has been carefully edge mounted onto a cream wove paper support. This blend of mediums was typical for Hogarth's early career, allowing him to achieve both the expressive quality of etched lines and the detailed precision required for effective narrative storytelling in his prints. As the fourth plate in the series, the image depicts a moment of mock-heroic victory or humiliation consistent with the titular character's farcical adventures.

Hogarth often used established literary sources like Hudibras to comment on contemporary social issues and morality, cementing his reputation as a master satirist and moralizing commentator within England. This specific impression is held in the renowned collection of the Art Institute of Chicago, where it serves as a key example of the artist’s output before his great "Modern Moral Subjects" series. Because the work is a recognized historical artifact, high-resolution prints and images of this important piece by Hogarth are often available in the public domain for scholarly study and general reference.