The Sleeping Congregation

The Sleeping Congregation by William Hogarth, dating from 1736, is a notable example of the artist's satirical print work, targeting societal complacency during religious services. This piece was created using etching and engraving techniques, representing the third state of four published iterations. As one of Hogarth’s sharpest social critiques, the print specifically targets the perceived monotony and subsequent somnolence induced by lengthy contemporary sermons.

The scene depicts a small, cluttered church interior where the spiritual message has clearly failed to engage the audience. Hogarth captures a wide array of figures, including both men and women, all succumbing to distraction or deep sleep. The composition focuses on the weary preacher, who drones on above the oblivious congregation. Below him, the men and women rest awkwardly; a clerk snores profoundly, while a woman in the foreground dozes off, her fan slipping from her hand. This commentary on religious laxity and boredom was highly popular among Hogarth’s contemporary audience, disseminated widely as affordable prints.

As an important historical document illustrating mid-18th-century English societal habits, the work remains significant in the history of British art. Hogarth frequently employed such engraved works to distribute his moral and social narratives to the widest possible audience. This significant print resides in the permanent collection of the Metropolitan Museum of Art, where it is preserved and studied. Because of the age of the original publication, high-resolution reproductions of these influential prints often enter the public domain, making Hogarth's biting social commentary accessible globally.