English: William Hogarth - A Rake's Progress, Plate 2. COMMENT/DESCRIPTIONThe excessive fondness which the nobility discovered for (Farinelli, the castrato singer), the caresses they bestowed on, and the presents they made him, indicated little less than infatuation ; their bounty was prodigality, and their applause adoration. Mr. Hogarth, in his Rake’s Progress, has ridiculed this fully with great humour; in the second plate of that work he represents his rake at his levee in a circle, consisting of a bravo, a jockey, a dancing-master, a fencing-master, a gardener, and other dependents. In a
English: William Hogarth - A Rake's Progress, Plate 2. COMMENT/DESCRIPTIONThe excessive fondness which the nobility discovered for (Farinelli, the castrato singer), the caresses they bestowed on, and the presents they made him, indicated little less than infatuation ; their bounty was prodigality, and their applause adoration. Mr. Hogarth, in his Rake’s Progress, has ridiculed this fully with great humour; in the second plate of that work he represents his rake at his levee in a circle, consisting of a bravo, a jockey, a dancing-master, a fencing-master, a gardener, and other dependents. In a corner of the room sits an opera composer at a harpsichord, with a long roll hanging from the back of his chair, in which is the following inscription : 'A list of the rich presents Signor Farinelli, the Italian singer, condescended to accept of the English nobility and gentry for one night's performance in the opera of 'Artaxerxes'. A pair of diamond knee-buckles, presented by a diamond ring by A bank-note enclosed in a rich gold case by A gold snuff-box chased with the story of Orpheus charming the brutes by T. Rakewell, Esq. l00£, 200£, 100£. Description from The Westminster Magazine: or, The Pantheon of Taste, vol. 5 (1777), pp. 396-397 18th century. 1266 William Hogarth - A Rake's Progress, Plate 2
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Photo credit: © The Picture Art Collection / Alamy / Afripics
License: Licensed
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