Lijst met prenten uitgegeven door William Hogarth 1762

This list of prints, published by William Hogarth in London, dates to 1762. It’s printed on a single sheet of paper, a cheap and widely available material, using the movable type process. Notice how the text is structured: Hogarth is advertising his prints, giving titles and prices. These were aimed at a middle-class audience keen to acquire art, and were available for purchase at his house. The list tells us a lot about Hogarth's engagement with the commercial art world of his time, and reveals the details of his production process. Consider also the social context: the rise of a consumer culture, the growth of cities, and the increasing importance of trade and commerce. Hogarth’s prints were a commodity, produced and sold to meet the growing demand for affordable art. This example shows how the materials and methods of production are completely tied up with wider issues of labor, politics, and consumption. By understanding these processes, we gain a richer appreciation of the artwork itself.