Noon: The Four Times of Day

Noon: The Four Times of Day by William Hogarth, created in 1738, is a highly significant work within the artist’s famous series satirizing urban life and morality. This piece is a meticulously executed engraving, specifically noted as the first state of two, demonstrating the exacting technical process Hogarth employed in producing large-scale narrative prints for commercial distribution. As a cornerstone of 18th-century British graphic art, the image captures a specific moment of the day and critiques the social stratification evident in Georgian London.

The scene unfolds on a bustling London street corner, immediately drawing attention to the diverse population. Hogarth contrasts the respectable, church-going citizens who appear rigid and overly formal with the rowdier elements of the working class. The depiction captures various groups of men and women interacting near a cookshop, highlighted by the chaotic presence of children playing or arguing in the foreground of the busy streets. This print serves not only as detailed visual documentation but also as a moralizing commentary on contemporary manners, underscoring the tension between piety and earthly appetites. The complexity of the composition allows for continuous discovery within the crowded urban environment.

While Hogarth is celebrated for his oil paintings, his enduring fame largely rests on the wide dissemination of his engravings, which allowed his satirical prints to reach and influence a mass audience. Works like this represent important historical documents now preserved in major institutional holdings. The piece is classified as a print and resides within the comprehensive collection of the Metropolitan Museum of Art. Because of their age and cultural significance, high-resolution reproductions of these influential 18th-century masterworks are frequently available in the public domain for academic study and public appreciation.