The Industrious Prentice 1747

"The Industrious Prentice" is an etching by William Hogarth, a renowned 18th-century English artist, dating back to 1747. The scene depicts a courtroom setting where a young apprentice, likely the title figure, is brought before a judge, "impeach'd" by an accomplice. The inscription "The Wicked is snared in the work of his own hands," referencing Psalm IX:16, suggests the apprentice is being accused of a crime resulting from his own actions. Hogarth's meticulous detail and satirical tone, characteristic of his work, make this print a captivating commentary on the social and moral issues of his time.