Biographical Anecdotes of William Hogarth, With a Catalogue of His WorksNichols, John
General
Biographical Anecdotes of William Hogarth, With a Catalogue of His Works
Nichols, John
Hogarth, William, 1697-1764
1. Portrait of _Solfull_,[1] a maker of punches for engravers. _W.
Hogarth del. S. J. fecit aqua fort._ Mr. _S. Ireland_ has the original
sketch. This portrait is mentioned by Mr. _Walpole_ under the title
of "_Two small heads of men in profile in one plate, etched by Mr.
Ireland, from a sketch in his own collection._"
[1] This was etched a second time, Mr. _Ireland_ having accidentally
lost his first plate.
2. _Thomas Pellet_, M. D. President of the College of Physicians. _W.
Hogarth pinxit. C. Hall sculpsit._
3. _William Bullock_ the Comedian. _W. Hogarth pinxit. C. Hall
sculpsit._ It is by no means certain that these two last portraits were
painted by _Hogarth_.
4. North and South of _Great Britain. W. Hogarth delin. F. B._ [i.
e. _Francis Bartolozzi_] _sculp._ This little print represents a
_Scotchman_ scrubbing against a sign-post; no sign on it; with
_Edenborough_ castle in the back ground:--and an _Englishman_ reposing
on a post, with a pot of _London_ porter in his hand; the sign of an
Ox, with _roast and boild_, by way of inscription, over his head; and
a view of St. _Paul's_ at a distance. I do not believe it was designed
by our artist, whose satire was usually of a more exalted kind: neither
are the figures at all in his manner.
A sketch imputed to _Hogarth_, and engraved by this matchless
_Italian_, however, carries a double temptation with it, as it unites
with the works of both artists, which are so much the present objects
of pursuit. No man can entertain too high an idea of _Barlolozzi's_
talents; but yet, being sometimes apt to sacrifice similitude to grace,
_Emollit mores, nec finit esset feros._
He therefore is the last person from whom justice to the strong marked
characters of _Hogarth_ could be expected.
Since the above observations were communicated, a new impression of
this plate has appeared with the name of _Sandby_ annexed to it.
The history of so extraordinary a change deserves notoriety. The
publisher was at first assured that the sketch, from which he designed
the engraving, was not the production of _Hogarth_. He, however, on
his own judgement, pretended to affirm the contrary, being at least
convinced that, during the late rage for collecting the works of our
artist, no name was so likely as his to draw in purchasers. Having
disposed of as many copies as he could in consequence of hanging out
such false colours, he now sets sail again under those of _Sandby_,
and would probably make a third voyage with Mr. _Bunbury's_ flag at
his mast head, were not our second _Hogarth_ at hand, to detect the
imposture.--The price of this etching, originally 2 _s._ 6 _d._ is now
sold at 1 _s._ though the proprietor has incurred the fresh expence of
decorating it in _aqua tinta_. Should it henceforward fail to meet with
buyers, I shall not be ready to exclaim, with _Ovid_,
_Flebam successu posse carere dolo._
The three last published by _John Thane, Rupert-street, Haymarket_.
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
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