Plate IV from Marriage à la Mode 1745

This etching, *Plate IV from Marriage à la Mode*, is the fourth in a series of six by Simon François Ravenet I, depicting the satirical downfall of a marriage based on social climbing and financial gain. The scene depicts the moment the bride, already having a clandestine affair with a musician, is discovered by her husband in a private room with her lover. The scene is full of dramatic tension, with the couple’s betrayal revealed to onlookers, creating a moment of scandal and disappointment. The series of etchings was commissioned by the publisher, John Boydell, and were highly popular with the English public, showcasing a sharp critique of social hierarchies and the moral decay of the aristocracy.