The Bad Taste of the Town
Print
1724 (made)
1724 (made)
| Artist/Maker | |
| Place of origin |
Object Type
This print by William Hogarth combines two printmaking techniques - etching and engraving. Both involved creating a pattern of grooves to hold ink in a metal printing plate. The etched lines were made using acid, while the engraved lines were scored by means of a sharp tool called a burin. The grooves were then filled with ink and the image was transferred onto a blank sheet of paper.
Trading
This was the first print Hogarth sold independently of the established London printsellers. It cost one shilling. He had trouble selling it because soon after publication, half-price pirated copies appeared.
People
Hogarth made this print quite early on in his career. In it he touches on some of the themes and motifs that were important to his work. These include the theatre, street life and the battle between native British culture and its Italian and French equivalents.
Subject Depicted
On the left the public is queuing to get into a masquerade, a sort of fancy dress party with erotic possibilities. This enthusiasm for a form of entertainment with Italian origins is contrasted with a corresponding neglect of British culture. The woman in the foreground is pushing a wheelbarrow of waste paper filled with the works of authors such as Shakespeare and Dryden.
This print by William Hogarth combines two printmaking techniques - etching and engraving. Both involved creating a pattern of grooves to hold ink in a metal printing plate. The etched lines were made using acid, while the engraved lines were scored by means of a sharp tool called a burin. The grooves were then filled with ink and the image was transferred onto a blank sheet of paper.
Trading
This was the first print Hogarth sold independently of the established London printsellers. It cost one shilling. He had trouble selling it because soon after publication, half-price pirated copies appeared.
People
Hogarth made this print quite early on in his career. In it he touches on some of the themes and motifs that were important to his work. These include the theatre, street life and the battle between native British culture and its Italian and French equivalents.
Subject Depicted
On the left the public is queuing to get into a masquerade, a sort of fancy dress party with erotic possibilities. This enthusiasm for a form of entertainment with Italian origins is contrasted with a corresponding neglect of British culture. The woman in the foreground is pushing a wheelbarrow of waste paper filled with the works of authors such as Shakespeare and Dryden.
Object details
| Categories | |
| Object type | |
| Title | The Bad Taste of the Town (assigned by artist) |
| Materials and techniques | Etching and engraving |
| Brief description | Masquerades and Operas 'The Bad Taste of the Town |
| Physical description | Landscape format print showing crowds of people in a street. |
| Dimensions |
|
| Style | |
| Marks and inscriptions | 'Wm. Hogarth Invt. et Sculpt.' (Lettered) |
| Gallery label | British Galleries:
The Palladian style was often criticised for being non-British and unpatriotic. The artist William Hogarth (1697-1764) was a leading opponent. In the foreground, Hogarth ridicules the enthusiasm for Italian opera. He links it with Lord Burlington by setting the scene in front of the gate of Burlington's London house, labelled 'The Academy of Art'.(27/03/2003) |
| Credit line | The Forster Bequest |
| Object history | = |
| Subjects depicted | |
| Summary | Object Type This print by William Hogarth combines two printmaking techniques - etching and engraving. Both involved creating a pattern of grooves to hold ink in a metal printing plate. The etched lines were made using acid, while the engraved lines were scored by means of a sharp tool called a burin. The grooves were then filled with ink and the image was transferred onto a blank sheet of paper. Trading This was the first print Hogarth sold independently of the established London printsellers. It cost one shilling. He had trouble selling it because soon after publication, half-price pirated copies appeared. People Hogarth made this print quite early on in his career. In it he touches on some of the themes and motifs that were important to his work. These include the theatre, street life and the battle between native British culture and its Italian and French equivalents. Subject Depicted On the left the public is queuing to get into a masquerade, a sort of fancy dress party with erotic possibilities. This enthusiasm for a form of entertainment with Italian origins is contrasted with a corresponding neglect of British culture. The woman in the foreground is pushing a wheelbarrow of waste paper filled with the works of authors such as Shakespeare and Dryden. |
| Collection | |
| Accession number | F.118:152 |
About this object record
Explore the Collections contains over a million catalogue records, and over half a million images. It is a working database that includes information compiled over the life of the museum. Some of our records may contain offensive and discriminatory language, or reflect outdated ideas, practice and analysis. We are committed to addressing these issues, and to review and update our records accordingly.
You can write to us to suggest improvements to the record.
Suggest feedback
You can write to us to suggest improvements to the record.
Suggest feedback
| Record created | April 4, 2003 |
| Record URL |
Download as: JSONIIIF Manifest
