Paul Before Felix Burlesqued

"Paul Before Felix Burlesqued" is a highly satirical print created by William Hogarth in 1751. This complex work, classified as a print, utilizes the combined techniques of etching and engraving, subtly enhanced by areas of mezzotint tone to introduce softer shading. The specific impression held by the Metropolitan Museum of Art is the second state of five, reflecting Hogarth’s meticulous process of developing and refining the plate over time before issuing the final edition.

Hogarth was the preeminent satirical artist of Georgian England, employing humor and biting social critique to comment on contemporary life. The print specifically functions as a burlesque, transforming a solemn biblical scene (the Apostle Paul appearing before Governor Felix, as described in Acts 24:24) into a scene of chaotic farce. This piece also serves as a direct spoof of an earlier historical painting of the same subject.

The composition focuses intensely on the various types of men involved in the legal process. Hogarth’s figures are exaggerated, mocking the presumed seriousness and often the corruption associated with the British courts during the mid-eighteenth century. While the subject involves divine law, the setting pointedly critiques human judicial failures.

As a significant example of Hogarth's graphic art, this work illustrates his mastery of printmaking techniques and his unsparing eye for societal critique. This important print is part of the extensive collection of eighteenth-century British works housed at the Metropolitan Museum of Art. Like many works by Hogarth, reproductions of these popular prints are widely disseminated today, and due to the age of the piece, the image is now commonly found in the public domain.