The Lottery

1721

William Hogarth

Associated Names
William Hogarth

Artist, English, 1697 - 1764

This is a detailed drawing of an allegorical scene depicting a lottery. Various classical and mythological elements are present, with figures symbolizing abstract concepts engaged in activities related to the lottery. The central scene features a pedestal with figures representing symbolic identities like National Credit and Justice. Surrounding this central scene are other figures, including Apollo and Britannia, in neoclassical attire. The setting includes large lottery wheels and onlookers depicted with wings or classical robes. Architectural elements such as columns and drapery frame the illustration, enhancing its theatrical feel. Various metaphoric activities are annotated at the bottom, signifying aspects like Fortune drawing blanks and prizes, Suspension by Hope and Fear, and Good Luck seized by Pleasure and Folly. The drawing is packed with narrative motifs depicting fate, chance, and human endeavor within a richly engraved frame reminiscent of classical allegories.

Media Options

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Artwork overview

  • Medium

    etching and engraving

  • Credit Line

    Rosenwald Collection

  • Dimensions

    sheet: 25.9 × 33.3 cm (10 3/16 × 13 1/8 in.)

  • Accession Number

    1944.5.91

  • Catalogue Raisonné

    Paulson 1965, no. 11, State ii/viii

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.

2000

  • Fortune: "All is But Fortune", The Folger Shakespeare Library, Washington, D.C., 2000, no. 119.

Bibliography

1965

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

Wikidata ID

Q65026931

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