Taste in High Life

Art Historical Context

Step into the satirical world of William Hogarth with *Taste in High Life a vibrant engraving and aquatint by Samuel Phillips on May 1, 1798. This second-state print, measuring 15 1/16 x 18 1/8 inches, captures Hogarth's signature bite against 18th-century high society's pretensions. Originally from Hogarth's mid-1740s oeuvre, it was revived in print form decades later, reflecting enduring interest in his moralistic commentary. Housed in the Metropolitan Museum of Art's Drawings and Prints department, it exemplifies the Harris Brisbane Dick Fund's treasures. The scene unfolds in a lavish interior teeming with men, women, children, and even a mischievous monkey—hallmarks of Hogarth's crowded, chaotic compositions that lampoon fashion and taste. Phillips's technique blends precise engraving for sharp details with aquatint's soft, painterly tones, mimicking Hogarth's oil sketches while making the work accessible to a wider audience through affordable prints. This medium was revolutionary, bridging painting and reproduction during the Enlightenment era. Hogarth, a pioneer of English narrative art, used such works to critique the elite's obsession with faux sophistication, blending humor with social reform. For visitors, it's a window into Georgian England's cultural clashes, reminding us how art has long poked fun at human folly.

About the Artist

William Hogarth|Samuel Phillips · 1697–1764

William Hogarth (1697-1764) was an English painter, printmaker, and pictorial satirist who became the first great English-born artist to attract admiration abroad. Born into poverty in London, the son of a failed schoolmaster who was imprisoned for debt, Hogarth's early experiences with the harsh realities of 18th-century urban life profoundly shaped his artistic vision. After apprenticing with si...