Marriage 1735

"Marriage" (1735) by William Hogarth depicts a wedding ceremony in progress, with the groom seemingly distracted by his own reflection in a mirror. The scene is set in a church, with the priest officiating in the foreground. The bride is dressed in elaborate attire, while the groom stands by her side. The painting is a satire of the social and cultural practices of 18th-century England, with Hogarth's signature use of symbolism to expose the hypocrisy and folly of the era. The painting is a prime example of Hogarth's "moral" or "genre" painting style, which aimed to instruct and entertain viewers through the depiction of everyday life. The painting's humor and social commentary have made it one of Hogarth's most famous works, a reflection of the social attitudes of 18th-century England.