A Rake's Progress, Plate 4: IS ARRESTED GOING TO COURT.

Date1735

Artist/Maker Thomas Bakewell (1716 - ca. 1760)

Artist/Maker William Hogarth (1697 - 1764)

OriginEngland, London

MediumEtching and line engraving on laid paper

DimensionsOverall: 10 3/4 × 12 5/16in. (27.3 × 31.3cm)

Credit LineMuseum Purchase

Object number1986-23

DescriptionThe upper margin reads: "IS ARRESTED GOING TO COURT."
The lower margin reads: "Published with the consent of M.r William Hogarth by Tho. Bakewell according to Act of Parliament July 1735./ Plate 4./ Tho' prest with Debts, y.e Beau maintain's his State,/ A Chair conveys him to S.t James's Gate;/ (The Welchman, stuck with Leek, & dress'd so gay,/ Explains 'tis Carolina's natal Day)/ Unhappy Wretch! deny'd y.e Ball to grace,/ Tho' rich with Fringe, Embroidery, & Lace:/ Insidious Catchpole's sieze y.e gaudy Spoil, Whilst o'er his Head y.e Lampsman Spills his Oyl;/ The Shoe=Boy steals his Cane with golden Head,/ No comfort comes but from the ruin'd Maid,/ Who (mix'd by chance among y.e gazing Throngs)/ Aids his Distress, & quite forgets her wrongs."
Label TextThis is the fourth scene of one of William Hogarth's most popular "Modern Moral Subjects”: " A Rake's Progress." This print was published as an authorized copy by Thomas Bakewell with Hogarth's authorization in 1735. (For others published by Bakewell see 1986-21,A, 1986-22, and 1986-24,A) With the popularity of ‘A Harlot's Progress,' Hogarth commenced selling subscriptions in late 1733, but the prints were not completed until June 1735. Part of this delay was the passage of the Engraver's Act, which was designed to prevent pirating of engraver's works. Hogarth waited until the act took effect on June 25th, 1735 - the date engraved on the prints - to publish the series. Despite his careful planning, pirated copies appeared on the market in early June apparently based on Hogarth's original paintings for the set, now in the collection of Sir John Soane's Museum. Hogarth's prints were expensive and published on subscription only, therefore to make a profit on the lower end of the market and combat the piracies, he authorized print seller Bakewell to publish smaller and cheaper versions of the series, with an imprint proving they were authorized copies. (see See 1967-566,4 by Hogarth and 2014-223, 4 by Henry Parker).In plate one, the image is reduced and reversed from the original print by Hogarth.

The fourth scene in "A Rake's Progress" takes place on St. James Street, Westminster near the gate of St. James Palace (shown in the distance). The leek in the hat of the Welshman to the left is in observance of St. David, which was also Queen Caroline's birthday. The Rake, Thomas Rakewell is carried in style in a sedan chair by servents on his way to St. James Palace to attend a celebration in honor of the Queen when he is arrested by two bailiffs for his debts. His former lover, pregnant with his child, Sarah Young, who is now working as a seamstress, witnesses the arrest and attempts to save him from arrest by offering money to the bailiffs.

Lower margin reads:
Tho' prest with Debts, y.e Beau maintain's his State, / A Chair conveys him to S.t James's Gate; / (The Welchman, stuck with Leek, & dress'd so gay, / Explains 'tis Carolina's natal Day) / Unhappy Wretch! deny'd y.e Ball to grace, / Tho' rich with Fringe, Embroidery, & Lace: / Insidious Catchpole's sieze y.e gaudy Spoil, / Whilst oe'r his Head y.e Lamp:man Spills his Oyl; / The Shoe=Boy steals his Cane with golden Head, / No comfort comes but from the ruin'd Maid, / Who (mix'd by chance among y.e gagzing Throngs) / Aids his Distress, & quite forgets her wrongs.