Noon, plate two from The Four Times of the Day

Noon, plate two from The Four Times of the Day is a pivotal print created by William Hogarth (English, 1697-1764) in 1738. This significant work employs etching and engraving techniques, rendered effectively in black ink on ivory laid paper, showcasing Hogarth's technical skill as a master printmaker. This piece forms the second installment of a widely circulated series designed to depict and critique the social behaviors and moral failings associated with different hours of the day in Georgian London.

Hogarth was renowned for his moralizing and satirical views of contemporary English life, and Noon provides a vivid example of his detailed storytelling. The scene centers on the intersection of classes and cultures outside a French Protestant chapel. On one side, French immigrants, dressed according to the fashions of the period, spill out of the church, contrasting sharply with the chaotic environment of the English working poor attempting to manage a savory pie stand in the bustling street. Hogarth uses this dynamic moment of cultural clash and social stratification to detail the everyday realities of 18th-century urban England.

The detailed composition and expressive use of line work, achieved through careful etching, underscores the dramatic and often humorous social commentary Hogarth intended. This piece demonstrates why the artist remains a foundational figure in English graphic arts. As a historically significant work now in the public domain, the widespread availability of high-resolution prints of this image continues to facilitate scholarship on Hogarth's legacy and the visual culture of the era. This compelling example of 18th-century printmaking is held in the permanent collection of the Art Institute of Chicago.