The Fellow 'Prentices at their Looms: Industry and Idleness, plate 1 1747

"The Fellow 'Prentices at their Looms: Industry and Idleness," a 1747 engraving by William Hogarth, depicts two apprentices working at their looms. The industrious apprentice is diligently weaving, while the idle apprentice is distracted by his dog and a book. The image is the first plate of a series of eight, which satirizes the moral failings and social ills of 18th-century English society. The contrasting scenes are meant to highlight the importance of hard work and virtue, themes Hogarth explored throughout his career. The use of detailed engravings creates a realistic representation of 18th-century workshops and the social conditions of the time. "Industry and Idleness" is an important example of Hogarth's satirical engravings, and it remains a popular and thought-provoking work of art today.