Marriage À La Mode Plate 3 (The Scene with the Quack)
"Marriage à la Mode," a series of six etchings by English engraver and painter William Hogarth, was printed as social commentary for the 18th- century audience comparable to our modern dramas. In this series Hogarth focuses on the misery of an arranged marriage between the daughter of an upper-class merchant family and the son of a destitute noble family attempting to maintain their wealthy status. At a time when arranged marriages were the subject of numerous deliberations, this series exemplifies Hogarth's belief in its dangers as he depicts the unflattering and tragic events of the bride and groom and their respective families.
In the third scene of the series, the plot of the unhappily married couple continues to unfold as the husband's indiscretion is confirmed. In a doctor's office, the recently wedded Viscount Squanderfield and his mistress discover they share the same ailment, indicating that their carefree and excessive lifestyle has come back to haunt them both.
Printed by Bernard Baron
The Earle W. Newton Collection of British and American Studies
This collection contains reference materials that reveal the interconnections between Great Britain and the United States in the 17th, 18th and 19th centuries, including 212 paintings, 1,288 prints, rare books, antique maps and other documents by master artists from Britain and the U.S., including William Hogarth, Sir Anthony van Dyck, Thomas Gainsborough, Sir Peter Lely, Joshua Reynolds and others.