Industry and Idleness - The Industrious 'Prentice Out of His & Married to his Master's Daughter
Date1747
Designed and engraved by
William Hogarth
(1697 - 1764)
OriginEngland, London
MediumEtching and line engraving
DimensionsOther (Plate): 10 1/2 × 13 3/4in. (26.7 × 34.9cm)
Credit LineMuseum Purchase
Object number1947-483,A
DescriptionUpper margin reads: "The INDUSTRIOUS 'PRENTICE out of his TIme & Married to his Master's Daughter." Caption reads: "Proverbs; Ch: XII. Ver: 4./ The Virtous Woman is a/ Crown to her Husband."
Lower margin reads: "Design'd and Engrav'd by W.m Hogarth./ Plate 6./ Publish'd according to Act of Parliament Sep.br 30 1747"
Label TextThis print is from a set of prints known as "Industry and Idleness" by William Hogarth. In the sixth plate, Industrious Apprentice (whose surname we learn is "Goodchild") has successfully completed his apprenticeship, become a partner in his master's business (the sign reads 'West & Goodchild'), in addition to marrying the master's (Mr. West) daughter - which was a sure way to eventually take over the business. The scene takes place outside of their shop and house the day after the couple's wedding where, according to custom, drummers and other musicians have gathered. Another wedding custom is depicted: a footman stands at the door dropping table scraps into the apron of a woman. In the distance, the London Fire Monument is visible.
The series tells stories of the parallel and sometimes intersecting lives of the wayward Idle Apprentice and the successful Industrious Apprentice. The Idle Apprentice was designed to serve as a cautionary tale, while the Industrious Apprentice's life models exemplary behavior. It was issued in 12 prints, was very met with much acclaim and commercial success when they were published in 1747. Hogarth wrote that he designed the prints to educate the youth, particularly apprentices, and therefore series was "calculated for the use & Instruction of youth w[h]erein everything necessary to be known was to be made a intelligible as possible[.] and as fine engraving was not necessary to the main design...the purchase of them became within the reach of those for whom they [were] chiefly intended." They were given by masters to their apprentices as Christmas gifts and were published at Christmas after 1749 in Lillo's 'London Merchant' for the benefit of young apprentices.
See Ronald Paulson, Hogarth's Graphic Works, I, #168-179.
