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Hogarth, William (Designer); Cook, T. (Engraver) : Original Engraving - "The Committee" and "Hudibras Triumphant"

G. & J. Robinson, Paternoster Row, London, England, 1802

Two original black-and-white engravings on one leaf of white paper, "The Committee" (Plate 9) and "Hudibras Triumphant" (Plate 10). This print is likely disbound from a publication. Leaf measures 16 1/2" x 22 1/2." Each printed area (plate) measures 13" x 9 1/4." The print is very clean and intact except for age toning, slight foxing, several dampstains (most of which are somewhat faint and only affect a small part of the printed area), and some edge wear. A Very Good copy. Two original engravings on one sheet of paper designed by William Hogarth and engraved by Thomas Cook. The following text credits the artists and is printed below each plate: "Design'd by W. Hogarth" and "Engrav'd by T. Cook." Publisher's information printed in bottom margin: "Published Octr. 1, 1802, by G. & J. Robinson, Pater-noster Row, London." These engravings are reproductions engraved by Cook and modeled after the original designs of Hogarth. William Hogarth (1697-1764) was an English printmaker, painter, satirist, cartoonist, and social critic. Thomas Cook (1744/45-1818) was an English printmaker. Cook is perhaps best-known for his reproductions of Hogarth's works, which were first compiled and published as Hogarth Restored in 1806. The subjects of these prints are scenes from Samuel Butler's satirical poem, Hudibras. The poem was published in three parts as The First Part (1663), The Second Part (1664), and The Third and Last Part (1678). The poem takes place during the final years of the Interregnum, about 1658-1660, and is about the titular Hudibras, a knight and colonel of the Parliamentary New Model Army, and his squire, Ralpho. The poem is a satire upon Puritan leaders of the English Civil Wars. Throughout the poem, Hudibras is comically defeated on a regular basis, often at the hands of witty or courageous women. Each engraving includes an accompanying part of the poem. "The Committee" (Plate 9) takes a brief hiatus from the narrative of Hudibras to satirize Oliver Cromwell and the Rump Parliament, which was formed from the "rump" (remnants) of the Long Parliament of 1640-1648. The Rump Parliament was installed as a way to depose King Charles I after the Long Parliament had chosen to restore Charles I and limit the power of the New Model Army commanded by Cromwell. The Rump Parliament was essentially controlled by the New Model Army to forward its agenda. The eponymous "Committee" in the print is a group of Puritan Saints who respond to the removal of King Charles I by mulling over unrealistic options to replace the monarch. A panic-stricken man then interrupts the committee to inform them of the Burning of the Rumps, an infamous celebration in which effigies of Rump Parliament members were hanged and burned. "Hudibras Triumphant" (Plate 10) returns to the story of Hudibras and illustrates the scene in which Crowdero, the town fiddler with a wooden leg, is taken by Hudibras and Ralpho to a bastille to be imprisoned in the stocks. Hudibras pulls the imprisoned Crowdero by a rope while Ralpho mockingly affixes Crowdero's fiddle and case atop the stocks "in manner of a Trophy." However, Hudibras and Ralpho get an ironic reckoning by the prostitute Trussa (Trulla) later in the poem, when she defeats Hudibras, requests that Hudibras free Crowdero, and throws the two in the stocks. Hudibras and Ralpho represent the hypocrisy and ignorance Butler saw in the English Puritan leaders of the seventeenth century while the townspeople, including Crowdero and Trussa, represent virtue and the interests of the public.. Print. Book Condition: Collectible-Very Good. Binding: No Binding

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