Hogarthian

On Friday, the Vol-in-Law and I went to see the Hogarth exhibit at the Tate Britain. It'll be on for almost another month, but judging by the crowds on a wet, non-holiday, Friday afternoon, you might be well advised to go before the last weekend it's open.

William Hogarth is often remembered as a cartoonist, a spoofer of London life, using charactitures and copper plate etchings to jab at the depravity of the city. He's famous for The Harlot's Progress (a sweet country lass comes to London, is corrupted, becomes a prostitute, catches the pox and dies) and The Rake's Progress (a young country gentleman comes into his fortune, goes to London, becomes depraved, loses his money and ends up in a lunatic asylum) and etchings like Gin Lane. But Hogarth was also a splendid portraitist and painter of historical scenes and the street scene of London, too. (Like The Shrimp Girl - below).



Hogarth is often remembered as a moralist - capturing the inevitability of decline once one has partaken of sin. But like many moralists, he seemed to be praising virtue in the abstract but found it dull in practice. Hence, many of his images are interesting because they revel in the depravity - and his "secret" attraction to the slimy underbelly of London becomes all to readily apparent. And despite highlighting London's many faults, you can see he loved the city - just like I have oft found myself excited by my return to the city - "Ahhh, London - welcome me back into your loving arms, ya dirty old whore."

The exhibit itself was fantastic and seemed to capture the breadth of Hogarth's work in room after room. (In contrast to another exhibit currently on - Renoir's Landscapes which was so brief it seemed a bit of an expensive cheek). In fact, there was so much, I really couldn't take it all in - particulary because you actually need to stop and take in the rich detail of his work.

Hogarth was particularly obsessed by the fallen woman - and I felt rather conspicuous with my pregnant belly, especially since I have just taken off my wedding ring (it still fits, but it's a little tight now and I have a fear of having to cut it off should my hands swell more).

Since visiting the exhibit - the Vol-in-Law has been describing things as Hogarthian. For example, I tried on a rather unfortunate shade of lipstick yesterday - which the ViL said made me look "a bit Hogarthian" - and I don't think he meant the country lass before the fall or the earthy vibrancy of the shrimp girl, above.