Research Essay
Joohan Yun (2435121)
LBST1B11
Claire Battershill
Research Essay
William Hogarth’s art piece “Gin Lane,” issued in 1751, is a black and white engraving that influenced the Gin Act. Although the piece seem similar to his other famous art piece “Beer Street,” a closer inspection reveals more intimate connection than they at first approaches the viewer. Hogarth shows images of the tragic outcomes from alcohol addiction in mid-seventeenth century urban England through the engraving on “Gin Lane” in a unique manner. Through the engraving, Hogarth displays ideas of: extreme physical and emotional child-abuse, deteriorated individuals’ physical and mental wellbeing, as well as lack of social control.
William Hogarth’s black and white engraving, “Gin Lane”, has depicted images of the tragic outcomes from alcohol addiction in mid-seventeenth century in urban England areas, which demonstrates lack of societal control, deteriorated individuals’ physical and mental wellbeing, as well as physical and emotional child-abuse.
In mid-seventeenth century, due to addiction of alcohol Gin, citizenries of urban Britain has lost the responsibility to preserve and develop the society, these poor and immature act of citizens led the society to corrupt. William Hogarth has clearly engraved the societal corrupt by symbolic image to emphasize the situation, referring to Access- Social Studies website “The collapse of society is symbolized by the collapsing buildings in the background. Meanwhile the church spire is visible further in the background- but it seems very remote from the scene of moral dissolution before it.” (105-106) The engraving contains falling and breaking apart building to approach the viewers with seriousness of societal break-down, in the background William Hogarth engraved church, to compare and emphasize the corrupt society. Also it is significant that the church in blurred and it is located far away from the urban England. Also in the engraving, William Hogarth
LBST1B11
Claire Battershill
Research Essay
William Hogarth’s art piece “Gin Lane,” issued in 1751, is a black and white engraving that influenced the Gin Act. Although the piece seem similar to his other famous art piece “Beer Street,” a closer inspection reveals more intimate connection than they at first approaches the viewer. Hogarth shows images of the tragic outcomes from alcohol addiction in mid-seventeenth century urban England through the engraving on “Gin Lane” in a unique manner. Through the engraving, Hogarth displays ideas of: extreme physical and emotional child-abuse, deteriorated individuals’ physical and mental wellbeing, as well as lack of social control.
William Hogarth’s black and white engraving, “Gin Lane”, has depicted images of the tragic outcomes from alcohol addiction in mid-seventeenth century in urban England areas, which demonstrates lack of societal control, deteriorated individuals’ physical and mental wellbeing, as well as physical and emotional child-abuse.
In mid-seventeenth century, due to addiction of alcohol Gin, citizenries of urban Britain has lost the responsibility to preserve and develop the society, these poor and immature act of citizens led the society to corrupt. William Hogarth has clearly engraved the societal corrupt by symbolic image to emphasize the situation, referring to Access- Social Studies website “The collapse of society is symbolized by the collapsing buildings in the background. Meanwhile the church spire is visible further in the background- but it seems very remote from the scene of moral dissolution before it.” (105-106) The engraving contains falling and breaking apart building to approach the viewers with seriousness of societal break-down, in the background William Hogarth engraved church, to compare and emphasize the corrupt society. Also it is significant that the church in blurred and it is located far away from the urban England. Also in the engraving, William Hogarth