O the Roast Beef of Old England--The Gate of Caiais

"O the Roast Beef of Old England--The Gate of Caiais" by William Hogarth is a powerful satirical print created in 1749. The artwork, classified as a print, employs the technical demands of etching and engraving, presented here in its second state of two. The composition offers a fierce commentary on Anglo-French rivalry, created shortly after the conflicts of the War of the Austrian Succession, where national characteristics were often exaggerated for propaganda purposes.

The scene is dominated by the massive architectural structure of the city gates of Calais, which frames a highly charged moment of cultural and political contrast. Hogarth satirically contrasts English abundance with French deprivation, focusing on the movement of a massive sirloin of beef being triumphantly carried by a stout English guard. This English prosperity is starkly juxtaposed with the numerous French men surrounding the convoy, who are depicted as impoverished and starving, their meager rations insufficient for sustaining the national character. Among the figures are thin French soldiers and a skeletal cook desperately trying to make soup from a sliver of fat.

Hogarth’s intent was to celebrate English liberty and wealth—symbolized by the nation's ability to afford such substantial fare—against the perceived poverty and Catholic tyranny of France. The piece is a quintessential example of Hogarth's moral and social prints. This influential work, sometimes known simply as The Gate of Caiais, resides in the collection of the Metropolitan Museum of Art. As a culturally significant piece from the eighteenth century, the image is frequently reproduced, making high-quality prints available widely, often through public domain initiatives.