Date of Printing: 1833 • Medium: Mezzotint • Subject Category: Social & Historical Settings • Signed: Unsigned • Period Created: Romantic (1800 - 1899) • Plate Size HxWxD cm: 12 x 14.3 • Leaf Paper Size HxW cm: 22 x 30 • Style: Original Vintage • Print on Verso: Blank on verso • Condition: Excellent • Edition Type: Limited Edition • Paper Type: Unbleached Cotton Rag • Framed: Unframed
Sancho Starved by his Physician. Engraved by J.Moore from the original of William Hogarth / The London printing and publishing company. Engraved by J. Moore, January 01, 1833. Slight foxing around edges of paper, although in excellent condition.
From "The Works of William Hogarth in a series of Engravings with Descriptions and Comments on their Moral Tendency by the Rev. John Trusler", published by Jones and Co., 1833
It has been sometimes thought that Sancho was the artist's favourite character. He is here represented as govemor of Barataria, and seated in the spacious hall of a sumptuous palace, surrounded with all the pompous parade of high rank, and encircled by numerous attendants. A band of musicians in an adjoining gallery, strike up a sym-phony to gratify his ear; and a table is spread with every dainty, to feast his eye and fret his soul; for however magnificent the appendages of this mock-monarch, the instant he attempts to taste the solid comforts of government, the loaves and fishes evade his grasp, are touched by the black rod, and vanish!
In plenty starving, tantalized in state,- he curses the gaudy unsubstantial pageant, vows vengeance on the doctor, and swears, that he will offer up him and every physical impostor in the island, as a sacrifice to his injured and insulted appetite.
Hogarth has here caught the true spirit of the author, and given to this scene the genuine humour of Cervantes. The rising choler of our governor is admirably con-trasted by the assumed gravity of Doctor Pedro Rezio. The starch and serious solemnnity of a straight-haired student, who officiates as chaplain, is well opposed by the broad grin of a curl-pated blackamoor. The suppressed laughter of a man who holds a napkin to llis mouth, forms a good antithesis to the open chuckle of a fat cook. Sancho's two pages bear a strong resemblance to the little punch-maker in the Election Feast, and though well conceived might have had more variety; they present a front and back view of the same figure. To two females on the viceroy's right baud, there may be a similar objection.