A Rake's Progress

A Rake's Progress is a series of the paintings and engravings by William Hogarth made from 1733 to 1735. The eight pictures show the decline and fall of Tom Rakewell, the spendthrift son and heir of a rich merchant, who comes to London, wastes all his money on luxurious living, whoring and gambling, and as a consequence is imprisoned in the Fleet Prison and ultimately Bedlam.

Related Topics:
William Hogarth - 1733 - 1735 - Spendthrift - London - Whoring - Gambling - Imprisoned - Fleet Prison - Bedlam

~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~

In the first two paintings in the series Hogarth paints pictures showing high fashionable society, with the tailors, musicians and riders. The second painting has men dressed in expensive costumes. A wild party in the third and a picture of a gambling house in the sixth shows another, seedier aspect of English society at the time, while the fourth, Arrested, and the seventh, Prison, and eighth, Bedlam, paintings give a glimpse of the world of law enforcement and institutions. Disturbing are some of the details such as the fashionably dressed women in the last painting who have come to the asylum during the day as a social occasion.

~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~

The original paintings can be seen in the painting room at the Soane Museum in London.

~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~

The libretto of The Rake's Progress, written by W.H. Auden and Chester Kallman to a score by Igor Stravinsky, is loosly based on the story from Hogarth's paintings.

Related Topics:
Libretto - The Rake's Progress - W.H. Auden - Chester Kallman - Igor Stravinsky

~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~