Southwark Fair

1733/1734

William Hogarth

Associated Names
William Hogarth

Artist, English, 1697 - 1764

This is a drawing of a bustling fair with various scenes of activity and entertainment. The scene depicts a lively fairground filled with people engaged in different activities. There are stages with entertainers, animals, and various acts. Stalls are set up, and there is a feeling of chaos throughout the image. In the foreground, individuals are playing musical instruments, engaging in conversations, or attending to their booths. The architecture includes detailed facades and wooden structures, with signs and flags adding to the festive atmosphere. The engraving showcases a vivid depiction of societal interactions, each corner filled with intricate narrative details portraying the vibrancy and disorder of a busy fair.

Media Options

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Artwork overview

  • Medium

    etching and engraving

  • Credit Line

    Rosenwald Collection

  • Dimensions

    sheet: 35.3 × 46.1 cm (13 7/8 × 18 1/8 in.)

  • Accession Number

    1944.5.56

  • Catalogue Raisonné

    Paulson 1965, no. 131

Associated Artworks

See all 114 artworks
The image depicts an engraving of a seated man facing slightly to the right with his body turned slightly to the left. The man has prominent facial features, including large eyes, a prominent nose, and a closed mouth. He wears a fur hat, a dark coat, and a buttoned shirt with a white collar. A pug dog sits beside him, facing the viewer. Objects like books, an artist's palette, brushes, and a cloth are scattered around them. In the background is a draped curtain, and at the bottom is the inscription "Gulielmus Hogarth."

Gulielmus Hogarth

William Hogarth

1748

Collected Works of William Hogarth

William Hogarth

1697

This is a drawing of character profiles and caricatures. The drawing consists of profiles of faces depicted in a stylized manner on one side, and as exaggerated caricatures on the other side. Varying facial expressions and features are shown, with a row dividing the characters and caricatures to illustrate the difference through levels of exaggeration.

Characters and Caricaturas

William Hogarth

1743

Artwork history & notes

Exhibition History

1967

  • William Hogarth, Virginia Museum of Fine Arts, Richmond, VA, 1967.

Bibliography

1965

  • Paulson, Ronald. Hogarth's Graphic Works. New Haven: Yale University Press, 1965. Rev. ed., 1970.

Wikidata ID

Q65026846

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