12. Reading. William Hogarth

 

  

William Hogarth was born in \(1697\). After his family went bankrupt, he had to take care of himself. He mastered his engraving skills as an apprentice at a silver workshop. After that he opened his own shop.

A Harlot's Progress was a series of paintings that brought Hogarth success. It lead to other well-known series, A Rake's Progress and Marriage a la Mode. These moral and satirical engravings vividly portray people's weaknesses and their sinister consequences.

  

Hogarth's pictures are the example of excellent visual storytelling. They are like plays in a way. The director Alan Parker once called them as ancestor of a storyboards. Although he mostly focuses on moral code, his pictures and engravings are entertaining.

  

William Hogarth's portraits are also quite interesting. Their composition is convincing and expressive, the colours are well-blended and balanced. The most famous portraits are of the philanthropic Captain Coram and the Shrimp Girl.

 

Most of the artist's works are displayed in London, in the National Gallery.

 

1. After his family  , he had to take care of himself.

 

2. These moral and satirical engravings vividly portray people's weaknesses and their  .

 

3. Although he mostly focuses on moral code, his pictures and engravings are  .