Paul Before Felix c. 1751

Editor: So, here we have William Hogarth’s "Paul Before Felix," circa 1751. It's a drawing made with chalk on paper, also considered a print. It strikes me as…staged, like theatre, and definitely dramatic! What stands out to you about it? Curator: Theatre indeed! Hogarth often saw the world as a stage, and this drawing crackles with that sensibility. For me, it’s the contrast. The earnest plea of Paul, caught in that single, fiery colour against the almost bored detachment of Felix and his court. Do you sense how the composition leads your eye right to that point of tension? The way those gazes clash? Editor: Absolutely! It's like everyone is acting in their own play. I’m also curious about the all the paper, like scripts! What do you make of that? Curator: Good eye! Paper as power, wouldn't you say? Scrolls of judgement, histories being recorded… and distorted. Hogarth was deeply skeptical of power, legal and otherwise. And look at those two figures clutching their scroll—a mix of fear and hope. Hogarth knew how to tug at your heartstrings. Do you see anything…humorous? A bit like the absurd? Editor: Perhaps, just a hint of satire in the self-importance of the officials? That bored posture. Curator: Exactly! Hogarth saw hypocrisy everywhere, and he wasn't shy about pointing it out with a sly wink. It's more than just a biblical scene, it’s social commentary disguised in biblical garb. Editor: I hadn’t considered the hypocrisy element so strongly. It changes how I read the subjects. Curator: Hogarth has a lot of those layers. History painting can be fun! So much is happening at the same time. What a master of tension, right?