Hogarth Painting the Comic Muse

Inserting himself into the long established tradition of showing the artist at work, Hogarth presents himself in the midst of the creative act, painting Thalia, the classical muse of Comedy. Replicating a painting of the same subject that he had completed around 1757, when he received the title of Sergeant Painter to the King, this print was reissued several times afterward until 1764, the date indicated in this impression’s inscription. In celebrating his new status, Hogarth portrays the muse holding a mask, referencing elements (humor, inspiration, and the theater) central to his satirical depictions of 18th-century British society.