Five in the Morning 1795

Robert Dighton the Elder made this print, Five in the Morning, during a time of social upheaval and satire. It offers a glimpse into the excesses and indulgences of late 18th-century London. The print depicts a disheveled gentleman, clearly inebriated, being supported by two figures, while another observes from a sedan chair. Consider the class dynamics at play here; the contrast between the drunken gentleman and his handlers speaks volumes about social hierarchies. Dighton's portrayal doesn't just capture a scene, it reflects a moral commentary on the behaviors of the elite, and the culture of excess that defined aspects of Georgian society. This work prompts us to think about how public images shape perceptions of identity and morality. Dighton seems to ask: what does it mean to lose oneself in pleasure, and what are the social costs of such abandon?