The Four Times of Day: Noon

The Four Times of Day: Noon by William Hogarth, created in 1738, is a significant example of 18th-century English social satire rendered through the medium of engraving. This piece is the second of a highly influential set of four prints exploring the moral and sociological diversity of contemporary London life. Hogarth uses the structure of the different times of day—Morning, Noon, Evening, and Night—to critique the follies and excesses he observed in the United Kingdom.

Hogarth’s depiction of Noon focuses on a chaotic street scene, often centered around the contrast between reverence and rowdiness. Typically, the scene satirically juxtaposes the well-dressed French Huguenots leaving a chapel with the boisterous, often drunken, activities of the English working class outside a nearby cookshop. The details are rich with symbolic meaning, a hallmark of Hogarth’s style, where clothing, architecture, and body language convey specific commentary on class and virtue.

As an original engraving, the work showcases the artist’s masterful draftsmanship and precise linear control necessary for transferring complex compositions onto a metal plate for mass reproduction. Hogarth pioneered the concept of selling subscription prints directly to the public, blending artistic innovation with commercial acumen. This series solidified his reputation as the premier pictorial moralist of his age. Many such historical prints, now considered public domain, continue to circulate and influence artists studying narrative illustration. This exceptional impression of the complete work, including The Four Times of Day: Noon, is a vital component of the collection at the Cleveland Museum of Art, preserving a crucial record of 18th-century English culture and artistic innovation.