Existing comment:
WILLIAM HOGARTH
British, 1697 – 1764
Simon Lord Lovat
1746
etching
Rosenwald Collection, 1943
Lord Lovat was a Scottish clan chief who switched allegiances multiple times throughout his life, fighting both for and against the Hanoverian kings who ruled Britain during Hogarth's time. Lovat was later convicted and sentenced to death for participating in a Jacobite rebellion against the king. Crowds gathered for his public execution in such numbers that an overloaded viewing platform collapsed, killing dozens. When Lovat was informed of the incident just before his death, he replied, "The more the mischief, the better the sport" Lovat's sly expression and tiny hooded eyes convey his dastardly character, while his features remain plausible and stop short of outright caricature. Lovat's notoriety contributed to the etching's popularity: although presses ran night and day, they were unable to meet the insatiable demand for the print. |