William Hogarth Painting the Comic Muse

William Hogarth Painting the Comic Muse

The famous self-portrait, showing Hogarth sitting in a chair with serpentine curves (his famous Line of Beauty). Holding his palette and brushes and grimly staring at his sketch of the Muse Thalia.

The engravings of the Analysis of Beauty are shown in a portfolio propped against the foot of the easel. Behind Hogarth’s chair is a chamber pot with a large brush resting on the top.

In earlier states of this print Hogarth had been shown smiling and the sketch of Thalia was an uncomplicated classical subject.

However, in his final embittered revisions of 1764 (the year of his death), he scored Thalia’s face with dark tragic lines. The mask she now holds is a Satyr’s and Hogarth has added the title Comedy 1764 to the pedestal on the sketch.

Paulson 204 VII / VII.

William Hogarth

William Hogarth, (born November 10, 1697, London, England—died October 26, 1764, London).  The first great English-born artist to attract admiration abroad, best known for his MORAL and satirical engravings and paintings—e.g., A Rake’s Progress (eight scenes,1733).

His attempts to build a reputation as a history painter and portraitist, however, met with financial disappointment. His aesthetic theories had more influence in Romantic literature than in painting.

See full William Hogarth catalogue here