Laponia (Aubry de La Mottraye's "Travels throughout Europe, Asia and into Part of Africa...," London, 1724, pl. 312)

Laponia (Aubry de La Mottraye's "Travels throughout Europe, Asia and into Part of Africa...," London, 1724, pl. 312) is a detailed engraving executed by William Hogarth around 1723-1724. This early print, designated as the first state of two, showcases the foundational technique that Hogarth honed before achieving fame for his complex narrative series. The work was created as a commercial illustration plate for the influential travelogue published by Aubry de La Mottraye, documenting his extensive explorations across continents and cultures. The subject focuses on the northern region of Laponia, or Lapland, reflecting 18th-century curiosity about remote European life.

The composition features several men engaged in activities typical of the environment described in the travel narrative. Hogarth depicts figures utilizing traditional tools, including a man handling a bow and arrow, emphasizing the region's hunting and survival practices. In the background, the scene incorporates architectural markers, possibly showing obelisks or other primitive monuments, details that served to catalog and authenticate foreign landscapes for European readers. The precise, controlled rendering demonstrates the technical standard required for graphic prints intended for nonfiction publication.

This historical engraving is housed within the distinguished collection of the Metropolitan Museum of Art. As a print created during the beginnings of Hogarth’s career, the piece offers valuable insight into the commercial demands placed upon burgeoning artists in Georgian London. Today, due to its historical significance and institutional collection, high-quality images and prints of this work are frequently accessible in the public domain, supporting scholarship on the artist's formative period and the history of travel illustration.