The Sleeping Congregation by William Hogarth

The Sleeping Congregation 1736

print, etching, engraving

pencil drawn

aged paper

toned paper

light pencil work

print

etching

pencil sketch

old engraving style

personal sketchbook

england

sketchbook drawing

cartoon carciture

sketchbook art

engraving

"The Sleeping Congregation" is an engraving by English artist William Hogarth, created in 1736. This satirical work depicts a scene in a church during a sermon, with the congregation asleep or otherwise distracted. Hogarth's sharp social commentary is evident in the depiction of the sleeping parishioners, while the minister appears engrossed in his own thoughts. Hogarth's masterful use of detail and humor brings the scene to life, making it an enduring commentary on the human condition.

Comments

minneapolisinstituteofart about 1 year ago

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Human weakness was an endless source of humor for Hogarth, and his pointed satires sought to draw lessons through full disclosure of people's failings. Here religion-a frequent target of caricature-takes a backseat to more basic needs; sleep and sex, not piety, captivate the faithful during Sunday services. A shortsighted old preacher clutches his magnifying glass as he delivers what is surely a long-winded and dull sermon. Meanwhile, the undignified congregants appear in different stages of slumber, and a portly clerk sneaks an amorous glance at the bosom of a young maiden who sleeps, her dream colored by her biblical reading "on matrimony." Hogarth was a master storyteller, incisively capturing the characters and customs of his time in amusing narratives.