The Times, Plate 2

The Times, Plate 2 by William Hogarth is a significant example of 18th-century British political and social commentary, realized through the exacting technique of etching and engraving. This specific impression, dated 1790, represents the fourth and final state of the plate. This indicates a late or posthumous printing run, demonstrating the enduring popularity of Hogarth’s work even decades after his death in 1764. The original design dates to the 1760s and served as part of a graphic series that fiercely satirized contemporary political turmoil, including the conflicts surrounding John Wilkes and the controversies of the Seven Years’ War.

As a key element of this politically charged series, the work employs Hogarth’s characteristic visual density, filling the chaotic scene with various figures—men and women—who embody different facets of contemporary societal debate and confusion. The composition is structured to critique chaos and misplaced priorities during a period of national stress. The background and foreground are cluttered with symbolic action, and even the minor details, such as dogs engaging in parallel mischief, emphasize the pervasive nature of human folly.

The meticulous lines created through etching and refined by the more durable technique of engraving ensured that the print could be widely distributed, reaching a mass audience eager for political lampoons. This important work, classified formally as a print, offers viewers direct access to the complex, often biting humor of its creator. As a key holding, this late state impression of The Times, Plate 2 resides in the collection of the Metropolitan Museum of Art, and reproductions of this iconic satire are frequently available through public domain resources, allowing broad study of the artist’s visual rhetoric.