Detail from -Marriage a-la-Mode- 1897

This is a detail from Timothy Cole’s engraving of William Hogarth's satirical series *Marriage A-la-Mode* (1743-1745). The scene depicts the marriage contract being signed, with a wealthy yet jaded husband, a young and eager wife, and a lawyer looking on. This scene is one of six that follow a couple through the disastrous consequences of a marriage arranged for financial gain. Cole’s 19th-century engraving uses the technique of black and white to depict the scene in minute detail. It was originally published in a collection of engravings of Hogarth’s work titled *Old English Masters*.