William Hogarth (1691 - 1764)

William Hogarth was an English painter, printmaker, satirist and political cartoonist. Hogarth’s most notorious works were series of paintings highlighting the downfall of characters living immoral lives. William’s engraving were so popular that they were widely pirated. This action led to Parliament passing the Engraving Copyright Act of 1734, also known as the Hogarth Act, which gave protections to the creators of original engravings.

His series Harlot’s Progress was a series of six allegorical paintings chronicling the downfall of M. Hackabout. The original painting were created in 1731, with the engraving being made the following year.