Plate One, from The Analysis of Beauty

Plate One, from The Analysis of Beauty is a significant work by the pioneering English artist William Hogarth (1697-1764). Dated 1753, this piece is classified as a print, executed using the demanding combined techniques of etching and engraving in black ink upon cream laid paper. The physical condition reflects its historical use; it is currently presented in two parts, with the right side laid down on the front book cover, indicating its function as an integral part of a published volume.

As one of Hogarth’s most intellectually rigorous prints, this work serves not merely as visual illustration but as a complex diagrammatic representation for his famous aesthetic theory. Produced in England during the height of the Georgian era, this plate articulates the core concepts laid out in Hogarth’s influential theoretical treatise, also titled The Analysis of Beauty, published the same year. The book argues that true beauty resides not in simple, straight lines, but in dynamic, undulating curves-particularly the famous "Serpentine Line" or "Line of Beauty."

Hogarth used his detailed prints to visually communicate these complex geometric and philosophical principles to the general public, moving beyond traditional artistic instruction manuals. This effort to define aesthetic philosophy marked a major contribution to 18th-century art criticism and English visual culture. This important example of 18th-century English printmaking is housed in the permanent collection of the Art Institute of Chicago. Given the age of the work, reproductions of this historical image are widely available in the public domain, allowing scholars and enthusiasts worldwide access to Hogarth's foundational theories.