Print made by William Hogarth, 1697–1764, Britishafter William Hogarth, 1697–1764, British
Title:
The First Stage of Cruelty: Children Torturing Animals
Date:
1751
Materials & Techniques:
Engraving on medium, slightly textured, cream laid paper
Dimensions:
Sheet: 15 3/8 × 12 3/4 inches (39.1 × 32.4 cm)
Inscription(s)/Marks/Lettering:
Lettered above image, upper center: "FIRST STAGE OF CRUELTY."; inside image, center: "Tom Nero"; center: "S:G"; below image, lower center: "While various Scenes of sportive Woe | The Infant Race employ, | And tortur'd Victims bleeding shew | The Tyrant in the Boy. | Behold! a Youth of gentler Heart, | To spare the Creature's pain | O take, he cries -- take all my Tart, | But Tears and Tart are vain. | Learn from this fair Example -- You | Whom savage Sports delight, | How Cruelty disgusts the view | While Pity charms the sight."; lower left: "Design'd by W. Hogarth"; lower center: "Published according to Act of Parliament Feb. 1. 1751."; lower right: "Price 1 s."
Credit Line:
Yale Center for British Art, Paul Mellon Collection
Copyright Status:
Public domain
Accession Number:
B1981.25.1440
Classification:
Prints
Collection:
Prints and Drawings
Currently On View:
Not on view
Publications:
Alice Insley, William Hogarth : visions in print, Tate Publishing, London, 2021, pp. 15, 60, 78, NJ18 .H67 I57 2021 (YCBA)John Mullan, His Picture was His Stage, TLS, the Times Literary Supplement, Issue no. 5425, March 23, 2007, pp. 18-19, Film S748 (SML) Also Available Online in TLS Archive