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Customer Reviews (3)

Good Book - Bad Shipping
Have been trying to find this wonderful book for three years and finally purchased it, used, from Amazon.The book probably started its shipping route in good condition, but since it was packaged only in a flimsy envelope with no cardboard protection, it arrive smashed and bent almost in half.I am unable to open it and turn pages without creating more rips.Am I now stuck with this mess?Obviously, the shipper is at fault here. Please respond.Thank you.

Everyone should know Hogarth
Hogarth is the best. His rich images of the moral underbelly of London are as resonant today as they ever were. The level of draftsmanship is high. The many symbolic details are superb. The plotlines combine moral outrage with lurid vouyerism with smirking satire - Bret Easton Ellis should have spent forty years as a Hogarth scholar before attempting to write his first book. This edition is cheap and large, with commentary that is a pleasure to read. I recommend it to anyone.

Quality Reproductions and Insight into a Bygone Age
The large size of the pages (11X14)allows the reader to appreciate the quality and detail of Hogarth's work. Beyond the artistic merit of the engravings, I have found them to be of great value in understanding England of the 1700's. As it is said, "a picture is worth a thousandwords". This is especially true with Hogarth, who was as much ahumorist and social commentator as he was an artist. Sean Shesgreenprovides the (absolutely) necessary background and explanitory informationto understand the pictures. ... Read more

Product Description
A landmark account of the great English artist's tumultuous life and times

William Hogarth (1697-1764) was perhaps London's greatest and best-known chronicler. The exuberant expansion and upheavals of city life furnished him with the subjects of the elaborate prints that made him famous, and that remain our finest and most fantastic visual record of eighteenth-century England.

Evoking Hogarth's fierce nationalism, his philanthropic vision, and his antagonistic dance with London's artists and patrons, Jenny Uglow's acclaimed biography "crackles with vitality and sparkles with insights" (Michael Holroyd). In the company of his friends and peers--Swift, Gay, Pope, and the rest--Hogarth burned to expose hypocrisy and yearned to be recognized as a painter in the grand old tradition. In decoding his work's details and damning references--to craven leaders and corrupt institutions, and the beloved, tragicomic tribulations of rakes, harlots, and common citizens--Uglow breathes life into his accomplishment and his thwarted ambition, showing herself at every turn "in sympathetic rapport with Hogarth the man" (P.N. Furbank, The New York Review of Books).
Amazon.com Review
Combining in-depth history with perceptive explication of thereferences encoded in William Hogarth's images, Jenny Uglow enablesmodern readers to fully understand the society that shaped the art ofWilliam Hogarth (1697-1764). Hugely popular engravings such as ARake's Progress and Marriage A-La-Mode commented on thetumultuous changes sweeping through 18th-century English society;Hogarth was appreciated as a moralist as much as a painter. Uglowcolorfully recreates a vanished world, as well as the prickly natureof a man who revolutionized the role and the status of Britishartists. ... Read more

Customer Reviews (6)

Monumental
William Hogarth, though one of the finest artists of his time, was still very much a man of his time.His thoughts, his art, and his life do not transcend history -- to understand him and his work, it is necessary to put them in the context of the day.So Jenny Uglow paints a thorough and vivid picture of the London of the early to mid 1700's, from politics to pop culture, and shows us Hogarth's place in it.That is the reason this book is so huge -- it really is a snapshot of Hogarth's world, just as the subtitle suggests.

Another reason for the focus on Hogarth the artist and the man of his time is that there is relatively little information on Hogarth's personal life.But from what Uglow can show us, Hogarth was a pugnacious, vulgar, vain little homunculus, so too much study of his personality might have detracted from an appreciation of his accomplishments and ideals, both of which were sterling.It is probably for the best that we see Hogarth through the lens of his work and his time, as this is where his greatness lies.

And this book's greatness lies in its portrait of London in the eighteenth century, which is detailed, gossipy, and endlessly fascinating, running the gamut of events from lofty political doings at court to pop-culture crazes like Mary Tofts, the hoaxer who claimed to have given birth to rabbits.In her biography of London's most popular artist of his time, Jenny Uglow brings the entire city to brilliant life.

I wish I could give this book SIX stars (* * * * * *)!
I would give this book six stars if I could.It is one of my favorite books of all time.More than any other book I have ever read I learned about the subject of the biography (Hogarth in this case) because of the beautiful way the author placed him in his time.By learning about Hogarth's world we can learn so much about the artistic fashions of his time and how that influenced the way he made his art.We also learn about the influence Hogarth's artistic genius had in re-shaping that world and the artists who followed him.

We learn about his family ties to the court and his failed ambitions there.But his ambitions for his art were even higher and there he succeeded to our great benefit.We also learn about his quirky personality, how his friends described him, and their wonderful stories of their life with him.Hogarth was as amazing a character as any he drew.

The book is also full of wonderfully reproduced art in black and white and a generous number of works are reproduced in color.Ms Uglow gives us in depth and wonderfully insightful instruction about all these works.It is a big book, but one I believe you will always treasure having read.It is brilliantly written.This book has a prominent place in my library and one I urge everyone to read.It is a treasure.

Here is Uglow's recent and wonderful biography of Thomas Bewick:

Nature's Engraver: A Life of Thomas Bewick

A life and a world
Jenny Uglow chose wisely when she decided to write her Hogarth biography as an old-fashioned life-and-times.

Hogarth recorded his life in his art rather than in literary documents, but fortunately for his biographers, his art everywhere displayed his attitudes to, and his interaction with, his times. It's not surprising, therefore, that Uglow's sub-title is "A Life and a World".

And she renders that world of eighteenth-century London superbly. Want to know about deism, the Bangorian Controversy, the culturr of procuresses and brothels, the attitudes to women? Go for it - it's all there. Or perhaps you've forgotten what little you knew about the political system of the times, its aesthetic theories, the influence of The Spectator, or the impact of the opera on cultural life? Good - that's also there.

Not only is it there but it is also insinuated so smoothly into the biographical narrative that you're scarcely aware you're being instructed. Moreover, if the reviews I've read are representative, you may also be unaware that some of this instruction is couched in ravishingly beautiful prose. Re-read the sections on Gay's "The Beggar's Opera", Walpole's reputation and the culture of refinement and politeness, for example. Are you not in the hands of a writer who has the rhythms of classic English prose throbbing through her veins? Not convinced? Read it aloud.

At his best, Hogarth was a portraitist of genius. At her best, so is Jenny Uglow. Gaze upon her brilliant joint portrait of Hogarth and Fielding in Chapter 9, but be sure to gaze in awe.

And the mention of Henry Fielding is a reminder that Uglow has already written a study of him, as well as biographies of Elizabeth Gaskell and George Eliot. Presumably, she has been steeped in the culture of English literature. And it shows. Her analyses of Hogarth's works are infused with that attention to detailed perception and critical interpretation that dominated academic "close reading" literary criticism decades ago. They draw attention to details you've never noticed before and fill in historical and biographical background you've never been privy to.

This biography is a wonderful read for anyone interested in Hogarth the artist, or for anyone fascinated by Hogarth, the tough-minded, opportunistic, satirical subversive. William Hazlitt captured the essence of the artist in eight words when he said Hogarth was "carried away by a passion for the ridiculous" - a point well supported by the dozens of reproductions threaded through the text. Jenny Uglow boils down the essence of the man when she says that obedience and submissiveness were never his virtues, a point supported by the sharply written anecdotes that pepper the narrative.

She needs more space to capture the spirit of the times, but capture it she does in the many passages of historical background and the pen portraits of London. (Don't miss the street walk at the beginning of Chapter 15.)

After spending 20 hours or so in Jenny Uglow's model of Hogarth's world, you may, like me, be reluctant to the real one...of cooking and cleaning and...oh, no! ...I can't stand it: I'm going back to Southwark Fair and the Harlot's Progress and, yes, even to Satan, Sin and Death!

a brilliant account of 18th century Britain
Packed with facts and figures, this book is an interesting insight into the life and times of an early 18th century London artist and philanthropist.

Informative but over-written
Though the subject is an obscure one, even for the English, the usefulness of Uglow's research is compromised by the fulsomeness of her writing. She will apply four descriptive clauses to an engravng when one well chosen one would be enough to stimulate imaginative understanding. It is also distressing that Uglow arrives at virtually the same conclusions, draws the same moral messages, about whatever sets of engravings she discusses. Was the man so monotonous? Or is it the biographer? ... Read more

Product Description
Hogarth, France and British Art is a radical reappraisal of the art and achievement of William Hogarth (1697-1764). Hogarth has long been viewed as an insular and chauvinistic individual, with a particular aversion to all things French. On the contrary, while Hogarth himself liked to project this image, his effective invention of British art was founded upon a profound knowledge of contemporary French art and theory. This lavishly illustrated book conjures up in great detail the French and wider European context within which Hogarth's art was formed.The author examines the ways in which Hogarth interacted with and influenced his contemporaries not only in painting and print-making, but also in sculpture, poetry, the novel, the theatre, public life, art education, copyright law, music, and opera. In this wide-ranging but richly detailed book, full of analyses of individual works, Robin Simon draws upon a mass of new material, with fresh considerations of Hogarth's most famous and less well-known works alike, opening a window on to one of the most creative and formative periods in British life. ... Read more

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General Books publication date: 2009Original publication date: 1817Original Publisher: Longman, Hurst, Rees, and OrmeSubjects: Art / Individual ArtistArt / PrintsCrafts ... Read more

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This is an EXACT reproduction of a book published before 1923. This IS NOT an OCR'd book with strange characters, introduced typographical errors, and jumbled words.This book may have occasional imperfections such as missing or blurred pages, poor pictures, errant marks, etc. that were either part of the original artifact, or were introduced by the scanning process. We believe this work is culturally important, and despite the imperfections, have elected to bring it back into print as part of our continuing commitment to the preservation of printed works worldwide. We appreciate your understanding of the imperfections in the preservation process, and hope you enjoy this valuable book. ... Read more

Product Description
This is an EXACT reproduction of a book published before 1923. This IS NOT an OCR'd book with strange characters, introduced typographical errors, and jumbled words.This book may have occasional imperfections such as missing or blurred pages, poor pictures, errant marks, etc. that were either part of the original artifact, or were introduced by the scanning process. We believe this work is culturally important, and despite the imperfections, have elected to bring it back into print as part of our continuing commitment to the preservation of printed works worldwide. We appreciate your understanding of the imperfections in the preservation process, and hope you enjoy this valuable book. ... Read more

Product Description
Originally published in 1912.This volume from the Cornell University Library's print collections was scanned on an APT BookScan and converted to JPG 2000 format by Kirtas Technologies.All titles scanned cover to cover and pages may include marks notations and other marginalia present in the original volume. ... Read more

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This scarce antiquarian book is a selection from Kessinger Publishings Legacy Reprint Series. Due to its age, it may contain imperfections such as marks, notations, marginalia and flawed pages. Because we believe this work is culturally important, we have made it available as part of our commitment to protecting, preserving, and promoting the worlds literature. Kessinger Publishing is the place to find hundreds of thousands of rare and hard-to-find books with something of interest for everyone! ... Read more

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The book has no illustrations or index. It may have numerous typos or missing text. However, purchasers can download a free scanned copy of the original rare book from the publisher's website (GeneralBooksClub.com). You can also preview excerpts of the book there. Purchasers are also entitled to a free trial membership in the General Books Club where they can select from more than a million books without charge. Original Publisher: Dodd, Mead; Publication date: 1891; Subjects: Art / General; Art / History / General; Art / European; Art / Individual Artist; Crafts ... Read more

Product Description
Originally published in 1913.This volume from the Cornell University Library's print collections was scanned on an APT BookScan and converted to JPG 2000 format by Kirtas Technologies.All titles scanned cover to cover and pages may include marks notations and other marginalia present in the original volume. ... Read more

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Publisher: London : MackenziePublication date: 0Notes: This is an OCR reprint. There may be typos or missing text. There are no illustrations or indexes.When you buy the General Books edition of this book you get free trial access to Million-Books.com where you can select from more than a million books for free. You can also preview the book there. ... Read more

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Widely acclaimed when first published, this lively social history of Hogarth's England went into a second edition with a new preface and updated notes and guide to further reading. 'This panorama of eighteenth-century English life ...Methodists and melancholia, village cricketers versified to glory and homosexuals pilloried to death, he has an eye and a word for everything in the pullulating scene.' THE SUNDAY TIMES 'Social history is ever flourishing, but the number of really original contributions is relatively small. Mr. Jarrett's book is one of this number; he is an historian of established reputation in general history who sets out to describe the eighteenth-century scene from his own examination of original sources.' ECONOMIST 'Jarrett's comprehensive learning, his graceful style, and his instinct for the telling detail make this an excellent book to dip into, to read in installments and to keep for reference.'NEW YORKER 'Jarrett digs deep into the diaries, letters, memoirs of the period, gives anecdote and incident as a counterpoint to the illustrations, examines the age's attitude toward children and education, the role of women, marriage, pleasures, politics, life and death ...A brilliant study.' LOS ANGELES TIMES ... Read more

Customer Reviews (1)

Fascinating Social histroy of England
Most of us are familiar with the Political History of the 18th Century, which seems to be over-Romanticized. In this excellent book Derek Jarrett describes what it was like to be a Squire, a woman or a Child in this very rough age, by todays' standards. It wasn't like the Williamsburg Themepark at all. Described are how people from different walks earned a living, what they did for pleasure when they had time, and the Violence which seemed to permeate all Classes. Life was tough in the Georgian Age. The illustrations are almost all by William Hogarth who often showed the dark side of English Society of the mid-18th Century. Prints like "Gin Lane", "Rake's Progress" or the "Cockpit", show how rough life was, and go very well with the concise well-written text. The sources are all excellent. No doubt, the reader will come away with a new view toward the 18th Century. This book is accessible from everyone from the High School Student to the Scholar, and Jarrett writes in a way that keeps the reader interested. More Historians should write like him. ... Read more

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William Hogarth (1697-1764), famous for his satiric representations of high and low life in eighteenth-century London, took as one of his central artistic themes the staging of otherness and difference. In a groundbreaking book, a group of international art historians and cultural theorists investigates this major yet overlooked dimension of Hogarth's art and aesthetics. They show that, whether Hogarth depicts a harlot or a wealthy patroness, a gouty earl or a dissolute rake, a black servant or an effeminate parasite, issues of class, gender, and race reverberate throughout his paintings and prints and deeply inform his unique innovation, the Modern Moral Subject.

Drawing on a broad array of methodologies, the authors of the fifteen essays gathered in this volume include the latest insights of cultural history, gender studies, and visual theory to look afresh at a constellation of themes and issues prominent in Hogarth's work: the construction of diverse social, sexual, and racial identities; the role of women in the family and the public sphere; the critique of a culture of increasing commodification and imperial expansion; issues of politics and patronage; the body as a bearer of aesthetic as well as erotic desire. The volume also features the autobiographical testimony of a contemporary black feminist artist who took Hogarth's work as an inspiration.

By looking at this unsuspected dimension of Hogarth's work, The Other Hogarth both presents a revisionist perspective on the artist and invites us to read in his images the broader operations of eighteenth-century visual culture.

In addition to the editors, the contributors to this volume are David Bindman, Patricia Crown, Mark Hallett, Lubaina Himid, Christina Kiaer, Sarah Maza, Richard Meyer, Frédéric Ogée, Amelia Rauser, Sean Shesgreen, David Solkin, Nadia Tscherny, James Grantham Turner, and Peter Wagner. ... Read more

Product Description
This is an OCR edition without illustrations or index. It may have numerous typos or missing text. However, purchasers can download a free scanned copy of the original rare book from GeneralBooksClub.com. You can also preview excerpts from the book there. Purchasers are also entitled to a free trial membership in the General Books Club where they can select from more than a million books without charge. Subtitle: (Including the 'analysis of Beauty,') Elucidated by Descriptions, Critical, Moral, and Historical; (Founded on the Most Approved Authorities.) to Which Is Prefixed Some Account of His Life; Volume: 2; Original Published by: Printed for R. Scholey by J. Ballantyne, Edinburgh in 1812 in 373 pages; Subjects: Aesthetics; Philosophy / Aesthetics; ... Read more

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More than 70 works of Hogarth include musical references, and Jeremy Barlow's book is the first full-length work devoted to this aspect of his imagery. The first two chapters examine the evidence for Hogarth's interest in music and the problems of assessing accuracy, realism and symbolic meaning in his musical representations. Subsequent chapters show how musical details in his works may often be interpreted as part of his satirical weaponry; the starting point seems to have been his illustrations of the clamorous 'rough music' protest in Samuel Butler's immensely popular poem "Hudibras". Hogarth's use of music for satirical purposes also has connections with a particular type of burlesque music in 18th-century England. It may be seen too in the roles played by his humiliated fiddlers or abject ballad singers. Each of the final two chapters focuses on a particular Hogarth subject: his paintings of a scene from a theatrical satire of music and society, "The Beggar's Opera", and the print "The Enraged Musician" itself.The latter work draws together uses of musical imagery discussed previously and the book concludes with an analysis of its internal relations from a musical perspective. The book is lavishly illustrated with Hogarth's drawings, prints and paintings. Many other images are reproduced to provide contextual background. Several indices and appendices enhance the book's value as a reference tool: these include an annotated index of Hogarth's instruments, with photographs or other representations of the instruments he depicts; a detailed index of Hogarth's works with musical imagery; the texts and music for broadside ballads and single-sheet songs related to Hogarth's titles; 18th-century texts and street cries related to Hogarth's "The Enraged Musician", and other musical examples indicated in the text. Also included is a facsimile of Bonnell Thornton's "Burlesque Ode on St Caecilia's Day". ... Read more