London, UK. 9 July 2024. ‘A Rake’s Progress and ‘Gin Lane’ and ‘Beer Street’ by William Hogarth, a parallel exhibition accompanying ‘Grayson Perry: The Vanity of Small Differences’, 2012, a new exhibition at Pitzhanger Manor & Gallery in Ealing, west London. Six large-scale tapestries by the Turner-Prize-winning artist, inspired by William Hogarth’s A Rake’s Progress (the riches-to-rags tale of Tom Rakewell in 18th-century London), are on display where Hogarth’s A Rake’s Progress were bought by Sir John Soane’s wife 222 years ago to be displayed at Pitzhanger. The exhibition runs 10 July to 8 December 2024. Credit : Stephen Chung for Pitzhanger Manor & Gallery
Explore William Hogarth’s iconic engravings at Pitzhanger Manor & Gallery in Ealing, West London.
William Hogarth at Pitzhanger
William Hogarth (1697–1764), a prominent British artist, painter, and engraver, is known for his satirical works that provide sharp social commentary on England and London, where he lived. Similar to Sir John Soane, Hogarth came from humble origins, with his father even spending time in debtor’s prison. While Hogarth’s paintings are renowned today, it was his engravings that made a significant impact during his time due to their ease of mass reproduction. At Pitzhanger Manor & Gallery in Ealing, West London, this exhibition showcases Hogarth’s famous works, including “A Rake’s Progress” (1735) and “Gin Lane” and “Beer Street” (1751). Visit Pitzhanger Manor & Gallery to experience William Hogarth’s work in the exquisite setting of our neo-classical manor.
From 1800 to 1804 Sir John Soane, one of Britain’s most influential architects, designed and built Pitzhanger Manor as his dream country retreat in then rural Ealing.
Credit: Irina Limar for Pitzhanger Manor & Gallery
A Rake’s Progress (1735)
William Hogarth’s remarkable series, A Rake’s Progress (1735), comprises eight satirical paintings that depict a riches-to-rags tale of Tom Rakewell in 18th-century London. Rakewell is shown inheriting a fortune, embarking on a profligate lifestyle in fashionable London, and ultimately succumbing to financial ruin and madness.
This morality tale was purchased by Sir John Soane in 1802 for £598.10 from the auction house Christie’s to hang at Pitzhanger, alongside Soane’s growing collection of art and antiquities, ranging from the ancient to the contemporary. The Soanes subsequently moved their art collections to Lincoln’s Inn Fields. However, Pitzhanger continues to display a full series of framed 18th-century engravings of A Rake’s Progress in their original setting on the vibrant red walls of the Soane’s drawing room.
These paintings have more recently inspired Grayson Perry’s A Vanity of Small Differences, a contemporary re-reading of A Rake’s Progress. Visitors to the Perry exhibition will be in the unique position to compare and contrast both intricately detailed morality tales in the home of Hogarth’s series.
Credit: Irina Limar for Pitzhanger Manor & Gallery
Gin Lane (1751)
Published as a pair with Beer Lane, Gin Lane (1751) was produced by Hogarth as a response to the Gin crisis of the time. During this period, London was rife with dubious gin distilleries – functioning without regulation – producing dangerous and in some cases lethal gin, often mixed with turpentine and other poisonous liquids. Gin Lane depicts the notorious area of St Giles not far from Lincoln’s Inn Fields and includes people in varying states of intoxication and indeed decomposition, including a mother driven to prostitution with her baby plunging from her arms.
Credit: Irina Limar for Pitzhanger Manor & Gallery
Beer Street (1751)
This painting was published as a pair with Gin Lane and acted as a contrast to show the health and productivity associated with drinking beer. Characters in Beer Street (1751) appear filled with joys of life, happily painting street signs, going about their business or cavorting in good-humoured bonhomie. The only shop crumbling and apparently on the way out is the pawnbrokers, which is now less needed on account of people having jobs and enjoying relative prosperity.
Stay in touch
To be the first to hear about the latest updates from Pitzhanger, sign up to our newsletter:
Get Tickets 
Plan Your Visit
Conservation Project
Event
