The Harlot's Progress, Blatt 3: Verhaftet von der Sittenpolizei

This paper is part of a six-part series of images called “The Harlot 's Progress” (The Walk of a Dirne), which was written by the British painter and graphic artist William Hogarth (1697-1764), an important artist of the 18th century who dealt with his environment in a socially critical manner. He created this series between 1730/1731 and 1732. These etchings are about a young woman coming to London to work and become a prostitute. In this engraving, M. Hackabout is no longer a mistress of the merchant, but only a prostitute. They can be seen in their private quarters, a room with a large heavenbed and less, unspectacular furniture than in the previous leaf. Her servant seems to stay with her, she sits on her bed next to her and handles dishes. The young woman continues to expose herself in front of the viewer, looks at him and shows a clock as if she wants to express that she is in exchange for a piece of jewelry and has lost any inhibitions. Various legacies of their lovers can be discovered in the room: a wig box on the heavenly bed above James Dalton, thief of a group of street robbers hanged for his offenses in Tyburn on May 11, 1730. Two pictures hanging on the wall at the bottom of the window, from the pirate Captain Macheath from John Gays (1685-1732) “Beggar 's Opera” and from the popular clergyman Henry Sacheverell, to whom she apparently also wanted to write a letter, an begun document lies on a table in front of her. Another letter from an admirer can be found in a drawer on the right of the leaf margin. In the background on the right, men also penetrate the picture through the front door, it is said to be the judge Sir John Gonson (-1765) and three armed henchmen; they want to arrest the hackabout. Signature: W.m Hogarth inv.t pinx.t et sculpt. Label: Plate 3. (riHändel-Haus Halle Foundation)