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
Analysis of Beauty, it might be supposed, would have given us more
instances of grace, than we find in the works of _Hogarth_; which
shews strongly that theory and practice are not always united. Many
opportunities his subjects naturally afford of introducing graceful
attitudes; and yet we have very few examples of them. With instances
of picturesque grace his works abound. Of his expression, in which
the force of his genius lay, we cannot speak in terms too high. In
every mode of it he was truly excellent. The passions he thoroughly
understood, and all the effects which they produce in every part of
the human frame: he had the happy art also of conveying his ideas with
the same precision with which he conceived them.--He was excellent too
in expressing any humorous oddity, which we often see stamped upon the
human face. All his heads are cast in the very mould of nature. Hence
that endless variety, which is displayed through his works: and hence
it is, that the difference arises between his heads, and the affected
caricaturas of those masters, who have sometimes amused themselves
with patching together an assemblage of features from their own ideas.
Such are _Spagniolet's_; which, though admirably executed, appear
plainly to have no archetypes in nature. _Hogarth's_, on the other
hand, are collections of natural curiosities. The _Oxford-heads_, the
physicians-arms, and some of his other pieces, are expressly of this
humorous kind. They are truly comic; though ill-natured effusions of
mirth: more entertaining than _Spagniolet's_, as they are pure nature;
but less innocent, as they contain ill-directed ridicule.--But the
species of expression, in which this master perhaps most excels, is
that happy art of catching those peculiarities of air, and gesture,
which the ridiculous part of every profession contract; and which, for
that reason, become characteristics of the whole. His counsellors, his
undertakers, his lawyers, his usurers, are all conspicuous at sight. In
a word, almost every profession may see, in his works, that particular
species of affectation which they should most endeavour to avoid. The
execution of this master is well-suited to his subjects, and manner
of treating them. He etches with great spirit; and never gives one
unnecessary stroke. For myself, I greatly more value the works of his
own needle, than those high-finished prints on which he employed other
engravers. For as the production of an effect is not his talent; and as
this is the chief excellence of high finishing; his own rough manner
is certainly preferable; in which we have most of the force and spirit
of his expression. The manner in none of his works pleases me so well
as in a small print of a corner of a play-house. There is more spirit
in a work of this kind, struck off at once, warm from the imagination,
than in all the cold correctness of an elaborate engraving. If all
his works had been executed in this style, with a few improvements in
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
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