Night, plate four from The Four Times of the Day

Night, plate four from The Four Times of the Day is a pivotal print created by William Hogarth English, 1697-1764 in 1738. This work is executed using the demanding technique of etching and engraving in black on ivory laid paper, showcasing the artist's technical skill and ability to produce detailed, narrative prints quickly for the burgeoning English middle-class market. Hogarth (1697-1764) conceived of this plate as the concluding chapter of a satirical series that collectively captured the moral and physical topography of London throughout a 24-hour cycle, cementing his status as a key social observer of the period. As a printmaker, Hogarth made his critical commentary accessible to a wide audience.

Reflecting the genre scenes popular in 18th-century England, Night often portrays social disorder and chaos. It typically depicts travelers and revelers under the cover of darkness, frequently contrasting a scene of drunken collapse or a carriage accident with the solemnity of the time. Hogarth masterfully employs the visual contrasts achievable in black-and-white prints to emphasize the drama and moral ambiguity of the nighttime city. This important work belongs to a lineage of social commentary prints that defined visual culture in England. The wide availability of high-quality prints, particularly those that have entered the public domain, allows broad access to this key aspect of the artist's output. This impression of the influential work currently resides in the permanent collection of the Art Institute of Chicago.