Hogarth's Works, with life and anecdotal descriptions of his pictures. Volume 3 (of 3)Ireland, John
General
Hogarth's Works, with life and anecdotal descriptions of his pictures. Volume 3 (of 3)
Ireland, John
Hogarth, William, 1697-1764
This very fine picture, Hogarth himself tells us, was painted in 1729
for Sir Archibald Grant of Monymusk, Bart., at that time Knight of
the Shire for Aberdeen, and one of the Committee represented in the
painting,--many of whom attended daily, and some of them twice a day.
That every other figure in this print is a genuine portrait, there
cannot be the least doubt, though at this distant period it is not
possible to identify the particular persons; they are all, however,
to be found in the following list of the names of the Committee:--
James Oglethorpe, Esq., Chairman.
{ Finch.
The Right Hon. { Morpeth.
the Lords { Inchequin.
{ Percival.
{ Limerick.
Sir Robert Sutton.
Sir Robert Clifton.
Sir Abraham Elton.
Sir Edward Knatchbull.
Sir Humphrey Herries.
Hon. James Bertie.
Sir Gregory Page.
Sir Archibald Grant.
Sir James Thomhill.
Gyles Earle, Esq.
General Wade.
Humphrey Parsons, Esq.
Hon. Robert Byng.
Edward Houghton, Esq.
(Judge-Advocate.)
Captain Vernon.
Charles Selwyn, Esq.
Velters Cornwall, Esq.
Thomas Scawen, Esq.
Francis Child, Esq.
William Hucks, Esq.
Stampe Brooksbank, Esq.
Charles Withers, Esq.
John La Roche, Esq.
Mr. Thomas Martin.
"The scene," says Mr. Walpole, "is the Committee. On the table are
the instruments of torture. A prisoner in rags, half-starved, appears
before them; the poor man has a good countenance, that adds to the
interest. On the other hand is the inhuman gaoler. It is the very
figure that Salvator Rosa would have drawn for Iago in the moment
of detection. Villany, fear, and conscience are mixed in yellow and
livid on his countenance; his lips are contracted by tremor, his face
advances as eager to lie, his legs step back as thinking to make his
escape; one hand is thrust precipitately into his bosom, the fingers
of the other are catching uncertainly at his button-holes. If this
was a portrait, it is the most striking that ever was drawn; if it
was not, it is still finer."
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
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