William Hogarth political caricature "Canvassing for Votes".

by Hogarth, William

Sign, "Punch Candidate for Guzzledown", Canvassing for Votes by Hogarth. This is one of four scenes of an election portrayed by William Hogarth, for his last and grandest series – engraved by Charles Grignion in 1757 and published in 1758.

Hogarth’s inspiration was apparently the spectacularly corrupt Oxfordshire election of 1754. Caricatures of figures from every walk of life, are involved in all kinds of electoral chicanery – doing whatever the candidates considered necessary to win. In the centre of the scene are Tory and Whig agents, both attempting to bribe an innkeeper to vote for them.

William Hogarth caricatures personify situations by showing Hogarth's astute recognition of personal foibles. Hogarth prints have brought awareness of people's 'pecadillos' and been well-received ever since the day they were first printed.

Vintage coaching print with slight age-discolouration/foxing. Image: 350 x 465mm (13 3/4 x 18 1/5 inches). Page size: 380 x 510mm (13 1/2 x 20 inches).