The Frolick (The Search Light)
1790–1810
Medium
Engraving
Dimensions
Sheet: 2 11/16 x 3 1/4 in. (6.8 x 8.2 cm)
Classification
Prints
Department
Drawings and Prints
Museum
Metropolitan Museum of Art, New York, NY
Credit
Harris Brisbane Dick Fund, 1932
Accession Number
32.35(170)
Tags
Art Historical Context
William Hogarth’s “The Frolick (The Search Light)” is a small yet lively engraving that captures the artist’s signature interest in social scenes. Although Hogarth died in 1764, this impression dates from 1790–1810, suggesting it belongs to a later edition or reprint that kept his witty observations in circulation for new audiences. The work’s modest size—just over two by three inches—highlights how Hogarth used prints to reach everyday viewers rather than only wealthy collectors. As an engraving, the piece demonstrates the medium’s ability to convey fine detail and narrative energy through c...
About the Artist
William Hogarth · 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...