The Fellow 'Prentices at their Looms (Industry and Idleness, plate 1)

The Fellow 'Prentices at their Looms (Industry and Idleness, plate 1), created by William Hogarth in 1747, inaugurates his famous twelve-plate series chronicling the divergent fortunes of two apprentices. Executed using the sophisticated technique of etching and engraving, this print immediately establishes the central theme of 18th-century moralizing art: the rewards of diligence versus the consequences of sloth.

The scene focuses on two young men working within a busy London weaving establishment. Francis Goodchild, representing "Industry," is placed in the foreground, deeply engrossed in operating his loom. In stark contrast, Tom Idle is shown asleep at his post, neglecting his duties. Hogarth masterfully fills the composition with visual metaphors. The depiction of the men and their tools highlights the manufacturing environment, while secondary details, such as a playful cat batting at a shuttle near Idle, emphasize the disorder caused by his idleness. This detailed approach to social realism and allegory was central to Hogarth’s practice, ensuring that the print functioned effectively as both entertainment and didactic instruction for the working classes.

This particular impression is the second state of two, reflecting refinements Hogarth made to the etched plate prior to wide distribution. As a defining example of English graphic satire, the work is maintained within the expansive collection of prints housed at the Metropolitan Museum of Art. Through his widely circulated works, Hogarth secured his reputation as a keen observer of social behavior; today, these prints are highly studied and often accessible through the public domain for historical and artistic research.