HOGARTH: Life In Progress

The Sunday Times Art Book of the Year. Unafraid to shock and full of richness and originality, here is a technicolour panorama of Georgian life. William Hogarth's vision to a vast degree still defines the 18th century Britain. In this, the first biography for over 20 years, we meet the devoted husband, brilliant satirist, sensitive portraitist, unmatched storyteller, philanthropist, innovator and author of a seminal work of art theory. We read in glorious detail about a boisterous pub crawl in 1732 when the up-and-coming engraver and painter William Hogarth is just beginning to make a name for himself. We follow his humble beginnings to professional triumph and occasional disaster, while charting humanity's lowest vices. There are dozens of beautiful engravings and details and 16 pages of colour artworks and portraits in this 534 page paperback.