Subscription Ticket for "Garrick in the Character of Richard III"

Subscription Ticket for "Garrick in the Character of Richard III" is an etching created by William Hogarth during the 18th century (1700-1800). This specific print served a functional purpose, issued to subscribers preceding the completion of a major related work featuring the celebrated stage actor, David Garrick. The image captures Garrick performing the title role of Richard III, one of the actor's most famous and dramatically intense portrayals, cementing the actor's image for posterity.

Hogarth utilized the etching medium, often combined with engraving, to achieve the detailed tonal variations required for theatrical subjects. The composition highlights Garrick's dynamic physicality and intense emotional expression, characteristic of the realistic acting style he introduced to the English stage, which revolutionized performance practices of the era. The work is a critical document, showcasing the significant cultural overlap between visual art and the rapidly expanding public theater scene in London during this period. The creation of such subscription prints demonstrates the commercial viability of art based on celebrity culture in the eighteenth century.

As an important example of 18th-century British prints, this piece demonstrates Hogarth’s skill as a chronicler of contemporary life as well as his aptitude for visual drama. The historical importance of this etching often places it within the public domain following copyright expiration, ensuring that detailed studies of the era and the history of printmaking are widely accessible. This historically significant etching is housed in the permanent collection of the Metropolitan Museum of Art, where it is preserved as both a theatrical artifact and a masterwork of British printmaking.