Item 8: Two Engravings of John Wilkes by William Hogarth, 1763 May 16
Item — Box: 6, Folder: 8
Dates
- Created: 1763 May 16
Creator
- Hogarth, William, 1697-1764 (Person)
Access:
All series and subseries within this collection are open for research, with the exception of a few files within the Academia series that are restricted. The Academia series contains financial and sensitive institutional records from Wilkes College, and financial report records from Princeton University that will remain restricted for 80 years upon creation.
Extent
1 items
Language of Materials
From the Collection: English
Type of Material:
Engraving.
Condition Note:
Good.
Measurements:
20 ⅜ in. x 15 ⅜ in.
Title:
John Wilkes Esqr.
Description:
The following items dated May 16, 1763, depict two engravings of John Wilkes (1725-1797) by William Hogarth, May 16, 1763. In the image, Wilkes is sat hunched over holding a pole with a cap titled “LIBERTY”, next to him is a table with two papers, one titled “North Brtion Number 17” and one titled “North Brtion Number 45”.
We have a framed copy of this engraving that was donated by Bob Wollensky, a former adjunct professor at Wilkes and King’s College professor. He purchased it from Norman Blackburn Antiquarian Printseller in London in 2000.
This piece created by William Hogarth (1697-1764) is one of the more famous engravings of Wilkes, though it is satirical and mocking in nature as shown by Wilkes’ exaggerated underbite and cross eye. While Wilkes and Hogarth were initially sympathetic to one another over ideological similarities, their relationship soured as a result of Hogarths illustrations. Wilkes had caught wind of a cartoon Hogarth intended to publish including Wilkes and his allies, Richard Temple, Charles Churchill, and William Pitt. Concerning this he requested that Hogarth not publish the piece if its intent were unflattering. Hogarth attempted to reassure him that only Temple and Pitt would be in the cartoon, however, Wilkes still insisted an attack on his allies would also be an attack on him. He followed this with a personal attack on Hogarth in the 17th edition of The North Briton, Wilkes’ own newspaper publication. Later on Wilkes published the 45th edition of the North Briton which criticized the government of King George III (1738- 1820), and the discovery of his lewd poem An Essay on Women, Wilkes was brought to trial. Hogarth was present at the trial and made sketches of Wilkes at that time. From those sketches this was the finalized piece, thus exacting his revenge on Wilkes.
There is an accompanying exhibit caption for the piece that gives a brief history of it and Wilkes.
Transcription:
{Papers in background}
North Briton
Number 45.
North Briton Number 17.
John Wilkes Esqr. Drawn from the Life and Etch’d in Aquafortis by Willm. Hogarth Publish’d according to Act of Parliament May ye 16, 1765
North Briton Number 17.
John Wilkes Esqr. Drawn from the Life and Etch’d in Aquafortis by Willm. Hogarth Publish’d according to Act of Parliament May ye 16, 1765
Creator
- Hogarth, William, 1697-1764 (Person)
Repository Details
Part of the Wilkes University Archives Repository
Contact:
84 W South St.
Wilkes-Barre PA 18701 US
570-408-2000
570-408-7823 (Fax)
ask.archives@wilkes.edu
84 W South St.
Wilkes-Barre PA 18701 US
570-408-2000
570-408-7823 (Fax)
ask.archives@wilkes.edu