Date of Award

Summer 2025

Document Type

Open Access Thesis

Department

Art

First Advisor

Andrew Graciano

Abstract

William Hogarth is often celebrated for the critiques of eighteenth-century England seen throughout his widely reproduced satirical print series and paintings, however his contributions to portraiture offer a compelling extension of his artistic vision and techniques. This research aims to explore Hogarth’s use of portraiture as a vehicle for social commentary and moral messaging, revealing broader themes of morality, nationalism, and identity among all of his works, comparing this approach to that of both his contemporaries and his own prints.

In examining Hogarth’s portraits alongside other formal portraiture, the socio-political landscape of the time, and existing scholarship, methods such as Formalism, Iconography, and Social Art History will be applied to both demonstrate how Hogarth’s approach to portrait painting extends his social critique beyond his more overtly satirical works and examine portraiture’s role in reflecting and reinforcing social standards and moral values. It will also reveal the broader functions of portrait painting as a vessel for social commentary, challenging traditional concepts of commissioned art as simply celebratory or decorative. Exploring the connection between portraiture and social commentary will offer a deeper understanding of Hogarth’s role in both the development of art as a tool for social reflection and defining a modern understanding of truly English art.

Rights

© 2025, Kaitlyn Elizabeth Hoff

Download

Share

COinS