Hogarth : representing nature's machine

This work provides a perspective on the work of the great British painter and printmaker William Hogarth.

By focusing on his most famous works, such as "The Harlot's Progress" and "The Rake's Progress", this collection of essays applies studies of science and philosophy from the period to give a more accurate sense of the meanings in Hogarth's art.

Many of the most famous scholars of Hogarth and the 18th century have made new contributions to the subject, and the volume, edited by scholars from Britain, France and Germany, is notable for its international outlook. The work consists of 12 essays which examine the problem of the nature of Hogarth's realism, which recent research has shown relates to a wide range of shifts in the period, and towards a greater concern with observation and representation.

While giving full value to the humour and wit in Hogarth's work, the book also reveals Hogarth as a profoundly thoughtful painter.