VISUAL ARTS

Richard Ingleby
Friday 21 February 1997 19:02 EST
Comments

Your support helps us to tell the story

From reproductive rights to climate change to Big Tech, The Independent is on the ground when the story is developing. Whether it's investigating the financials of Elon Musk's pro-Trump PAC or producing our latest documentary, 'The A Word', which shines a light on the American women fighting for reproductive rights, we know how important it is to parse out the facts from the messaging.

At such a critical moment in US history, we need reporters on the ground. Your donation allows us to keep sending journalists to speak to both sides of the story.

The Independent is trusted by Americans across the entire political spectrum. And unlike many other quality news outlets, we choose not to lock Americans out of our reporting and analysis with paywalls. We believe quality journalism should be available to everyone, paid for by those who can afford it.

Your support makes all the difference.

Hogarth the Painter, Tate Gallery (0171-887 8000) 4 Mar to 8 Jun. The London Original Print Fair, Royal Academy (0118-932 0960) 27 Feb to 2 Mar

This looks set to be the year of William Hogarth, with no less than 10 exhibitions, two operas, three concerts and one memorial service planned in celebration of his tercentenary.

At his very best, Hogarth was one of the great painters of the 18th century: witness the Tate Gallery's Shrimp Girl; their recently restored Self Portrait with Pug; or the portrait of Captain Thomas Coram, still owned by the Foundling Hospital to which Hogarth presented it in 1740. These three will be on view from 4 March in the Tate's "Hogarth the Painter", but they are not the pictures on which his reputation rests.

Hogarth painted as many bad pictures as good ones, but his place in the history of British art depends on his work as a print-maker, not as a painter. The prints highlight the cruel underside of 18th-century life and demonstrate the dark genius of Britain's most brilliant satirist.

Many of Hogarth's most famous prints will feature in exhibitions throughout the year, including those at the V&A, the British Museum and the Whitworth Art Gallery in Manchester, but the first chance to see, and indeed buy, some of these masterworks comes later this week with the opening of the 12th London Original Print Fair at the Royal Academy.

Andrew Edmunds, one of 24 dealers showing at the fair, is staging a mini-exhibition of Hogarth's early prints, including the complete series of The Rake's Progress and Marriage a la Mode. His stand promises to be one of the highlights of an event which is consistently one of the best British art fairs of the year.

EYE ON THE NEW

This week is the last chance to catch "A Line of Retreat", the latest exhibition of Hughie O'Donoghue's moody and often moving paintings and prints. They can, and should be seen, at the Purdy Hicks Gallery, Hopton Street, London SE1, until 1 March

Join our commenting forum

Join thought-provoking conversations, follow other Independent readers and see their replies

Comments

Thank you for registering

Please refresh the page or navigate to another page on the site to be automatically logged inPlease refresh your browser to be logged in