Hogarth Rake Plate 8
Wall Art and Photo Gifts from Mary Evans Picture Library
Hogarth Rake Plate 8
The Rakes Progress 8. A scene in Bedlam asylum
Mary Evans Picture Library makes available wonderful images created for people to enjoy over the centuries
Media ID 577057
© Mary Evans Picture Library 2015 - https://copyrighthub.org/s0/hub1/creation/maryevans/MaryEvansPictureID/10016751
1735 Asylum Asylums Bedlam Bethlehem Hogarth Insanity Progress Rake Shackles Violin
EDITORS COMMENTS
Hogarth's Rake's Progress Plate 8: A Scene in Bedlam Asylum William Hogarth's Rake's Progress is a series of eight engravings that chronicle the downward spiral of a young man named Tom Rakewell, from his naive and innocent beginnings to his ultimate descent into madness and destitution. In Plate 8, titled "A Scene in Bedlam Asylum," Tom is shown surrounded by the chaotic and deplorable conditions of the Bethlem Royal Hospital, also known as Bedlam. Established in 1247, Bethlem Royal Hospital was one of the oldest mental health institutions in Europe, and by the 18th century, it had gained notoriety for its unsanitary and inhumane living conditions. Patients were often shackled and chained, and the hospital was a popular tourist attraction for the curious and the morbidly fascinated. In the print, Tom is depicted sitting on a bed, disheveled and wearing a crown of thorns, a symbol of his mental anguish. He holds a violin, possibly a remnant of his former life as a musician. A dog, a common symbol of madness in art, lies at his feet. In the background, other patients are shown in various states of distress, some chained to their beds, others wandering aimlessly. The scene is chaotic and disturbing, a stark contrast to the orderly and respectable world Tom once inhabited. Hogarth's Rake's Progress is a powerful commentary on the consequences of moral decay and the fragility of the human psyche. Plate 8, with its harrowing depiction of Bedlam, serves as a reminder of the harsh realities of mental illness in the 18th century and the urgent need for reform in the treatment of the mentally ill.
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