Moses Brought to Pharaoh's Daughter 1752

William Hogarth made this engraving, “Moses Brought to Pharaoh’s Daughter,” using the incised line to create a complex play of light and shadow. The etching process involved coating a metal plate with wax, drawing through it to expose the metal, and then bathing the plate in acid. This eats away the exposed lines, which are then filled with ink and printed. Hogarth was incredibly attentive to the social realities of his time, particularly class. Here, the clean, precise lines delineate an elaborate scene of wealth and privilege, while the story itself centers on a child of humble origins elevated to a position of power. The contrast is stark: a life of royal ease, versus the labor and uncertainty of the working class. Hogarth's choice of printmaking allowed for mass production and distribution, making his social commentary accessible to a wide audience, implicating them in the narrative. This print underscores how materials and making are never neutral; they carry cultural and political weight.