"Tristram Shandy," Frontispiece, Volume 1,

"Tristram Shandy," Frontispiece, Volume 1, by William Hogarth, created in 1760, is an important example of 18th-century British prints. Executed using the sophisticated technique of etching and engraving, this specific impression represents the second known state of the work. This frontispiece was designed to accompany the initial volume of Laurence Sterne’s highly experimental and satirical novel, The Life and Opinions of Tristram Shandy, Gentleman.

The composition depicts Parson Yorick, one of the novel's central characters, engaged in solitary intellectual pursuits. Hogarth captures the parson seated at a table, absorbed in the act of reading, presumably Sterne’s challenging text itself. The subject matter focuses squarely on men of letters, emphasizing intellectual absorption over dramatic narrative. The contemplative atmosphere is reinforced by the inclusion of a lit pipe, symbolizing the leisure and deep thought associated with smoking during the Georgian era.

As an eminent illustrator and satirist, Hogarth frequently utilized his mastery of printmaking to document the social dynamics and literary currents of the time. The stark contrast and precise lines afforded by the engraving technique create a dramatic quality well-suited to the novel's witty, reflective tone. This historical print, created shortly after the novel’s launch, offers a vital early visual interpretation of Sterne's characters. The work is held in the renowned collection of the Metropolitan Museum of Art and, due to its age and stature as a historic print, is widely accessible within the public domain.