Frontispiece of Fielding's 'The tragedy of tragedies' 

This is William Hogarth's frontispiece for Henry Fielding’s 'The Tragedy of Tragedies', made in England in the 1730s. Here, Hogarth satirizes the artificiality of the London theater scene through caricature, visual allusion, and symbolism. We see exaggerated costumes, absurd situations, and distorted figures, all of which mock the conventions of dramatic tragedy. The contrast between the high-flown rhetoric of tragedy and the mundane realities of human existence is brought to our attention. Hogarth frequently employed the strategy of 'comic history painting' and regularly lampooned the upper classes. To truly understand the meaning of such an image, we have to consider the social conditions that shaped both art production and its reception. We might consult theater reviews and social commentaries from the period, examining the archives of theatrical productions and the writings of critics and cultural commentators. The role of the art historian is to delve into this context, revealing the layers of meaning embedded within the work. Ultimately, it becomes clear that art is contingent on its social and institutional context.