Morning: The Four Times of the Day

"Morning: The Four Times of the Day," created by William Hogarth in 1738, is the first plate in his celebrated four-part series that satirically examines the routines and societal characters of 18th-century London. This work of social commentary focuses specifically on a bustling scene in the Covent Garden area during the harsh cold of the early morning.

The composition utilizes the technique of etching and engraving to capture a moment of sharp contrast. Hogarth sets the scene against architectural elements, including decaying buildings and the grand portico of St. Paul's, Covent Garden. The focal point is a severe, elderly spinster heading primly toward church, clutching her prayer book. She offers a stark moral contrast to the surrounding figures, which include boisterous young men and women returning home from an evening of revelry. Other figures are struggling against the intense cold, gathering near a street vendor's stall where smoke or fire indicates he is heating his wares.

As one of the most iconic British prints of the period, the work highlights Hogarth’s sophisticated ability to blend meticulous detail with pointed social critique regarding the class divisions and daily hypocrisies of modern urban life. This specific impression is categorized as the first state of two, demonstrating the artist’s initial technical efforts in transferring his drawing onto the copper plate. The print remains a crucial reference for understanding 18th-century British culture and is held within the distinguished collection of the Metropolitan Museum of Art. Due to its status and historical importance, high-resolution images of this work are commonly accessible in the public domain for artistic and historical study.