Simon Lord Lovat 1746

This print of Simon Lord Lovat was etched by William Hogarth. It’s a fascinating example of how printmaking could engage with the politics of the time. The image was made using etching, a printmaking technique that involves using acid to corrode lines into a metal plate. The plate is then inked and used to create multiple impressions on paper. Hogarth was incredibly skilled and would have had to carefully apply a resist, before using acid to bite the image into the metal. The varying depth of the lines, achieved through precise timing, creates the tonal range we see. The print medium allowed Hogarth to disseminate images widely and inexpensively. Consider how the very act of multiplying the image speaks to a broader democratization of art, making portraiture available beyond the elite circles who could commission painted portraits. This print is both an aesthetic object and a form of social commentary, a testament to the power of images in shaping public opinion.