The Industrious 'Prentice Grown Rich and Sheriff of London: Industry and Idleness, plate 8 1747

William Hogarth designed and engraved this print, “The Industrious 'Prentice Grown Rich and Sheriff of London,” around 1747. It’s one plate from his series Industry and Idleness. Hogarth was invested in the moral and social function of art. His prints were often created in series, intended to be widely distributed and consumed by the public. In this image, we see the successful apprentice celebrating his election as Sheriff of London with a feast. Through shrewd visual cues Hogarth tells us that the new Sheriff is charitable but also still very much a tradesman at heart. Hogarth was at the forefront of discussions about the role of art academies and institutions in cultivating a national school of art and believed that art should be accessible to all. Looking at sources such as print subscription lists, personal letters, and even the records of the artists themselves can tell us more about the role of art in 18th-century London society.