Hudibras Triumphant

Hogarth is renowned for his narrative paintings and prints that cleverly satirise and highlight his era’s social and moral issues. Hogarth excelled in creating sequential narrative series, skilfully arranging figures and symbolic elements to convey stories.

Among his works is a set of twelve engravings illustrating the adventures of Hudibras, a bumbling adventurer from Samuel Butler’s mock-heroic poem. Ridiculing the Puritan party’s efforts during the Great Civil War of 1640, Butler’s poem exposes the hypocrisy of the Presbyterians, Independents and Zealots seeking leadership. In the scene depicted here, Hudibras demonstrates his determination by overcoming a menacing fiddle player and placing him in the stocks.

Object Summary

Accession Loan No.
50/1929/10
Collection Class
Prints
Medium
line engraving on paper
Common Name
Hudibras Triumphant
Simple Name
print
Inscription Transcription
This said the high outragious Mettle of knight began to cool and settle He lik’d the Squire’s Advice and soon resolv’d to see the Bus’neks done: and therefore charg’d him first to bind Crowdero’s hands on rump behind Ralpho dispatched with speedy haste and having ty’d Crowdero fast He gave Sir Knight the end of cord to lead the Captive of his sword Thus grave and solemn they march’don Until quite thro’ the Town th’had gone; At further end of which there stands an ancient Castle that commands Thither arriv’d th’adventurous Knight and bold Squire from their steeds alight at th’outward Wall near which there stand a Bastile built t’imprison Hands. On top of this there is a spire on which Sir Knight first bids the Squire The Fiddle and its Spoils the case in manner of a trophy place. To Dungeon they the Wretch commit and the Survivor of his Feet
Production Town
Production Date
1726
Production Person Initials
WilliamWilliam
Production Person Surname
HogarthHogarth
Production Year Low
Production Year High

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Hudibras Triumphant