THE YOUNG HERO TAKES POSSESSION OF THE MISER’S EFFECTS
So in plate one we have the young man -thoughtless, extravagant, and licentious. The effects of his behaviour are set up for us to see the coming destructive consequences of his conduct. Here Hogarth contrasts two opposite passions; the unthinking negligence of youth, and the avaricious rapacity of age.
The Rake’s vacant face, his weak gestures tell that he is being set up as a dupe.Ignorant of the value of money, he negligently leaves his bag of gold in the reach of an old and greedy lawyer who immediately seizes the opportunity to defraud his young employer.
NB: Hogarth had, a few years before, been engaged in a law suit, which gave him some experience with lawyers…What can he have experienced?!
We are going to blog the whole of Hogarth’s series of The Rake’s Progress, I hope you enjoy them!
Classic painting Collectors engraving hogarth rakes progress review
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