Marriage a la Mode by William Hogarth

Marriage a la Mode by William Hogarth

Hogarth. “Trendy marriage.” Soon after the wedding. Between 1743 and 1745 years. London. National Gallery. “Trendy marriage” – one of the most perfect satirical series Hogarth, consisting of six pictures. They all require a very detailed examination and study, because every detail is thought-provoking, is a human characteristic, lets guess about what happened or about to happen. On the first leaf of the series “The conclusion of a marriage contract” was a typical for England at that time the situation: a noble but ruined lord marries his son to the daughter of a commoner, but a rich bourgeois. Contracting blatantly resembles a bargain. The second film of the series, we see late in the morning after the wedding. The overturned chairs, which lazily raises a sleepy servant, lying on the floor playing cards, musical instruments and music book – all spoke about yesterday’s holiday. Husband and wife hardly come to life. She – stretches and drink tea after a night of dancing and cards; He – a hat, had just come into the house after a night of fun, sitting in a stupid thought, not noticing that the dog is pulled from his pocket a ladies’ cap.

Horrified manager walks away with a handful of unpaid bills and only a receipt for their payment. Mantelpiece crowded with a variety of Chinese figures and the heroes to match them – resemble graceful trinkets that can be easily rearranged from place to place. The hidden drama of this painting is not signed actions or deeds, but in mood and character. Life Heroes “Fashion marriage” ends sadly. The carousing and masquerades started up on a wind dowry, the husband killed in a duel rake-lawyer, Countess die by taking poison after it learns about the execution of her lover, who was hanged because he had killed her husband.

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