The Industrious 'Prentice Out of his Time and Married to his Master's Daughter (Industry and Idleness, plate 6)

The Industrious 'Prentice Out of his Time and Married to his Master's Daughter (Industry and Idleness, plate 6) by William Hogarth is a detailed 1747 print central to the artist's highly influential moralizing series, Industry and Idleness. Executed using the combined techniques of etching and engraving, the work is presented here in its sophisticated fourth state of four, demonstrating Hogarth’s skill in producing widely accessible and technically refined prints designed for a broad public audience.

As the triumphant culmination of the industrious narrative thread, Plate 6 depicts the successful apprentice, Francis Goodchild, enjoying the rewards of his virtue: marriage to his master’s daughter and social ascent. The scene is a bustling civic spectacle, showcasing a procession outside prominent buildings. Numerous figures, including various men and women dressed in contemporary attire, gather to celebrate the union. The celebratory mood is emphasized by the inclusion of elements like drums, indicating a public fanfare appropriate for a newly elevated middle-class figure in 18th-century London society.

Hogarth used this series of narrative prints not only for commercial success but also as a powerful tool for social commentary and moral instruction. By vividly contrasting the prosperity achieved by Goodchild with the eventual ruin of the idle apprentice, Thomas Idle (addressed in subsequent plates), Hogarth reinforced the prevailing Georgian belief that hard work, piety, and diligence were the necessary precursors to financial stability. This specific impression is classified as a masterwork of satirical graphic art and resides in the collection of the Metropolitan Museum of Art. Works like this, foundational to the history of British prints, are frequently studied today, often entering the public domain.