Time Smoking a Picture

William Hogarth, 1761

This is a drawing of a winged figure beside an easel and a pot of varnish. The image features a skeletal figure with wings seated at an easel, engaged with a painting or canvas. To the side is a large urn labeled "VARNISH" and at the figure's feet rests a severed head and a torso. The painting on the easel depicts a cloud or smoke with amorphous shapes. Above the assembly, a ladder is seen. An inscription reads "As Statues moulder into Worth." The style of the drawing is illustrative and detailed, using a clear line technique reminiscent of etchings.
Artist
William Hogarth
Date
1761
Type
Print
Medium
etching and mezzotint
Dimensions
22.5 × 18.1 cm
Collection
National Gallery of Art, Washington
Licence
Public domain, CC0

Image description

This is a drawing of a winged figure beside an easel and a pot of varnish. The image features a skeletal figure with wings seated at an easel, engaged with a painting or canvas. To the side is a large urn labeled "VARNISH" and at the figure's feet rests a severed head and a torso. The painting on the easel depicts a cloud or smoke with amorphous shapes. Above the assembly, a ladder is seen. An inscription reads "As Statues moulder into Worth." The style of the drawing is illustrative and detailed, using a clear line technique reminiscent of etchings.

William Hogarth