The Company of Undertakers

"The Company of Undertakers" by William Hogarth, created in 1736, is a celebrated example of the artist's biting satirical prints aimed at exposing social and professional hypocrisy in 18th-century London. The piece was executed using the demanding combination of etching and engraving, techniques that allowed Hogarth to achieve the fine detail and expressive depth visible in this second state of two published impressions. The classification as a print emphasizes its role in the widespread dissemination of social critique characteristic of Hogarth’s career.

The composition centers on a group of high-status professional men who represent the fictionalized “Company of Undertakers.” Hogarth uses this visual device to lampoon the medical establishment, targeting the incompetence and avarice of contemporary physicians and surgeons. The figures are depicted with exaggerated, self-important poses, reflecting the artist’s critique of quackery and misplaced professional pride. The use of strong chiaroscuro, created through the dense cross-hatching of the engraving, emphasizes the grotesque characteristics of these figures, allowing the viewer to grasp the severity of Hogarth’s commentary on public health issues.

This historically significant work of British graphic satire resides within the esteemed prints collection of the Metropolitan Museum of Art. As a powerful visual chronicler of Georgian society, Hogarth’s artistic production remains essential for understanding the period. Due to the age of the original work, high-quality reproductions and prints of this masterful historical critique are often found in the public domain, ensuring this piece continues to be widely studied and appreciated for its technical skill and unwavering moral observation.