Before 1736

Curator: William Hogarth's engraving, "Before," from 1736, captures a moment of high tension, a precursor to a more scandalous scene. My first thought is about the stark contrast of the engraving itself. The stark lines amplify the emotional atmosphere—you almost feel the claustrophobia of the moment. Editor: Absolutely. This reminds me of the tradition of the "Conversation Piece"—marital discord and commentary about social roles are common Hogarth themes. It is about how this scene and image are connected to earlier narrative strategies. I can immediately discern this is about fidelity! Curator: I'd agree it signals social commentary, but it's far richer. The disarray—slippers kicked off, jewelry scattered— speaks volumes. The little dog yapping near her feet represents more than meets the eye; Dogs were emblematic of fidelity, thus it seems her virtue and, perhaps his own fidelity, are being impugned and tested in this small room. Editor: Intriguing, but I want to go back to my first reaction about form. What does it say about how they interact with their setting in an intentional and controlled manner. From the light and shadow in the room to the specific angle, it is about creating maximum expressive impact and storytelling clarity. I am looking at visual storytelling strategies Curator: The symbolism layered within does amplify this quite a bit though! Look at the painting in the back depicting Cupid - it highlights the duplicity of the scene by suggesting one love versus the many meanings that love may symbolize. I mean the whole setting is fraught with implications, about virtue and social propriety of the period. Editor: Well, let’s meet in the middle here… It might seem simple at first glance but it pulls on many levels, wouldn’t you say? Curator: Most definitely! Hogarth wasn’t just depicting an everyday event; he was creating a theater of moral complexities, still poignant to a contemporary sensibility. Editor: Exactly, I’d concur... what Hogarth constructs is powerful due to how elegantly and thoroughly he makes use of technique for building compelling storytelling.