When did William Hogarth publish the series Industry and Idleness?
William Hogarth published his series Industry and Idleness in 1747. This work grew from existing literary traditions rather than emerging from a vacuum.
Questions about Industry and Idleness
Short answers, pulled from the story.
What specific plays influenced the parallel narrative structure of William Hogarth's Industry and Idleness?
Paulson identifies two key plays that influenced the parallel narrative structure: Eastward Hoe and The London Merchant. The latter play contains a specific quote about business being youth's best preservative against ill, while idleness is the worst of snares.
How much did each print cost when William Hogarth released Industry and Idleness?
Each print sold for one shilling, making the complete set cost twelve shillings or one pound. This pricing strategy targeted working-class audiences who could afford such items unlike buyers of his earlier works like A Harlot's Progress.
Who are the main characters featured in Plate 12 of William Hogarth's Industry and Idleness?
Plate 12 crowns Francis Goodchild as Lord-Mayor of London riding in carriage holding sword of state wearing outsized top hat. Thomas Idle concludes with execution at Tyburn leaning on his coffin marked T.I. while a preacher reads Wesley's book to him.
Where do the original plates of William Hogarth's Industry and Idleness reside today?
The originals now reside at the British Museum. Unlike previous projects where Hogarth painted first then engraved, this series was conceived solely as engravings from the start.