The Laughing Audience

1733

William Hogarth

Associated Names
William Hogarth

Artist, English, 1697 - 1764

This is a drawing of a theater audience engaged in various activities. The image depicts a lively scene with spectators arranged in rows, all exhibiting exaggerated facial expressions and dynamic poses. The upper part of the piece shows a few individuals leaning over a balcony rail, interacting with those below. In the foreground, a crowd of spectators seems to be animatedly watching a performance, with many figures smiling, laughing, or gossiping among themselves. The drawing emphasizes shadows and textures that give it a sense of depth and humor.

Media Options

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Artwork overview

  • Medium

    etching

  • Credit Line

    Rosenwald Collection

  • Dimensions

    sheet: 18.8 × 17 cm (7 3/8 × 6 11/16 in.)

  • Accession Number

    1944.5.109

  • Catalogue Raisonné

    Paulson 1965, no. 130, State iv/iv

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

1950

  • Master Prints from the Rosenwald Collection, circulated by the American Federation of Arts to 11 venues (California Legion of Honor, San Francisco, CA; Henry Art Gallery at the University of Washington, Seattle, WA; Museum of Cranbrook Academy of Art, Bloomfield Hills, MI; Grand Rapids Art Gallery, Grand Rapids, MI; The J.B. Speed Art Museum, Louisville, KY; Bryn Mawr College, Bryn Mawr, PA; Museum of Art at the University of Michigan, Ann Arbor, MI; Springfield Art Museum, Springfield, MO; Norton Gallery and School of Art, West Palm Beach, FL; Watkins Institute, Nashville, TN; and Memphis Academy of Art, Memphis, TN), 1950-1952, no cat.

1956

  • Art and the Theater, Watkins Gallery, American University, Washington, DC, 1956.

1960

  • Graphic Masterpieces of 500 Years from the National Gallery of Art Rosenwald Collection, Louisiana State University Library, Baton Rouge, 1960, no. 31.

1962

  • Installation during Fine Art Festival, American River College, Sacramento, CA, 1962, no cat.

1965

  • Master Prints, William Penn Memorial Museum, Harrisburg, PA, 1965-1966.

1967

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

1983

  • Graphic Survey Show, National Gallery of Art, Washington, D.C., May 1983.

Bibliography

1965

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

Wikidata ID

Q65026962

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