The Invasion, Plate 1: France

The Invasion, Plate 1: France by William Hogarth, executed in 1756, is a biting political satire rendered through the precise techniques of etching and engraving. Classified as a highly influential print, this work is the first of a pair designed to mock France and celebrate Britain during a period of intense national rivalry. Hogarth published this satirical plate at the official outbreak of the Seven Years’ War, capitalizing on widespread anti-French sentiment in London. The medium, specifically etching and engraving in this third state of three, allowed Hogarth to capture the immediacy of political commentary while enabling the mass production necessary for widespread popular consumption.

The scene offers a detailed caricature of French military life, focusing on disorder, poverty, and religious zeal over martial rigor. The composition is populated by ill-equipped French soldiers, whose primary concerns appear to be meager provisions and Catholic devotion rather than military readiness for the supposed invasion of England. Hogarth contrasts the meager French rations, consisting primarily of onions and water, with the robust English fare depicted in the corresponding second plate, 'England.'

Noticeable details emphasize the extreme poverty and ineffectiveness of the French military. These soldiers are depicted wielding antiquated firearms, looking more like a disorganized rabble than a threatening force. A broken Cross outside a tavern highlights the nation’s religious focus, which Hogarth often implied distracted from practical governance. While Ships are visible in the distance, indicating the proximity of the coast and the implied naval threat, the atmosphere is dominated by domestic slovenliness, including hints of fire and smoke from poorly managed cooking rather than from battle. This influential work, a key example of mid-18th-century political prints, now resides in the collection of the Metropolitan Museum of Art. As a historical artifact, prints like these, reflecting critical political moments, are sometimes made available through public domain initiatives, preserving the legacy of Hogarth's powerful nationalistic commentary.