The New Metamorphosis, Plate 5: Fantasio, Transformed into a Lapdog, in the with Donna Theresa 1723 - 1724

This is a print, the fifth of a series of eight plates called "The New Metamorphosis," by the celebrated English artist William Hogarth. It depicts a scene from the 17th-century French play "Fantasio," where the character Fantasio is magically transformed into a lapdog. In the print, Fantasio, dressed in a tunic and cap, bows before a woman, Donna Theresa, who is seated on a bed and holds a small dog. Hogarth’s satiric prints, such as this one, comment on the follies of contemporary society, often using grotesque and comical imagery. The dramatic use of light and shadow contributes to the print’s powerful and theatrical effect.