Cassell's History of England, Vol. 4 (of 8): From the Fall of Marlborough to the Peninsular WarAnonymous
History
Cassell's History of England, Vol. 4 (of 8): From the Fall of Marlborough to the Peninsular War
Anonymous
Great Britain -- History
Undaunted by his self-injuring avowal of his opinions, he offered in
1750 the pictures of "Marriage _à la Mode_" for sale, but put forth
an advertisement in such caustic terms, as he reflected on the result
of his former auction, that he effectually kept away purchasers, and
obtained only a hundred and twenty pounds for what Mr. Angerstein
afterwards gave a thousand pounds for. His "March to Finchley" being
sent for the royal inspection, so impressed George II. with the idea
that it was a caricature of his Guards, that, though the engraving of
it was dedicated to him, he ordered the picture out of his sight, with
expressions of great indignation. Hogarth quietly substituted the name
of the King of Prussia in the dedication, as "an encourager of the
arts."
Soon after appeared his twelve plates of "Industry and Idleness," and
in 1753 he published a work called "The Analysis of Beauty," in which
he attempted to prove that the foundation of beauty and grace consists
in a flowing serpentine line. He gave numerous examples of it, and
supported his theory with much ingenious argument. The book brought
down upon him a perfect tempest of critical abuse from his envious and
enraged contemporaries. In 1757 he visited France, and being engaged in
sketching in Calais, he was seized and underwent very rough treatment
from "the politest nation in the world," under an impression that
he was employed by the English government to make drawings of the
fortifications. This adventure he has commemorated in his picture of
"Calais Gate." In the following year he painted his "Sigismunda."
Besides those enumerated, "The Four Election Scenes," "The Enraged
Musician," "The Distressed Poet," and "England and France"--all made
familiar to the public by engravings--are amongst his best works. In
1760 occurred the first exhibition of pictures by British artists, the
works of Hogarth being an actuating cause. He had presented to the
Foundling Hospital, besides his "March to Finchley," his "Marriage _à
la Mode_," and his "Moses brought before Pharaoh's Daughter," his most
successful picture of that kind; and Hayman and other artists having
followed his example, a company of artists conceived the idea that an
exhibition of the works of living artists might be made profitable.
Hogarth fell readily into the plan, till it was proposed to add to this
a royal academy of arts, which he opposed with all his might. He died
in 1764, and was buried in the churchyard at Chiswick, where also lies
by his side his wife, who survived him twenty-five years.
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
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