Characters and Caricaturas 1743

William Hogarth created "Characters and Caricaturas" using the printmaking technique of engraving, a process intimately tied to the rise of visual culture in the 18th century. The image is made up of numerous heads, a collection of ‘characters’ contrasted against a selection of caricatures. Consider the labor involved in producing such a print. Each line was painstakingly incised into a metal plate by hand using a tool called a burin. The plate would then have been inked, and printed onto paper using a press. The resulting image can be reproduced and disseminated widely. This was crucial for artists like Hogarth, who sought to engage with a broad public and critique the social norms of his time, while establishing copyright over his imagery. Hogarth masterfully used this process to explore ideas about English identity and class. In "Characters and Caricaturas," he questions the very nature of representation, and asks the viewer to question the difference between capturing a likeness and descending into base caricature. The print thus becomes a powerful tool, challenging traditional art hierarchies and engaging with pressing social issues.