The Adventure of the Bear and the Fiddle (Plate 3: Illustrations to Samuel Butler's Hudibras) 1725 - 1730

"The Adventure of the Bear and the Fiddle" is an etching by William Hogarth, one of eight plates he made to illustrate Samuel Butler's satirical poem Hudibras (1725–1730). This plate, depicting Hudibras on horseback facing a bear, illustrates the story of the bear and the fiddle, which is an excerpt from Butler's poem. Hogarth, known for his satirical, detailed, and lively etchings, illustrates this moment of Hudibras’s adventure, making the scene both comical and exciting.