William Hogarth was born at Bartholomew Close in London on the 10th of November 1697. He had two younger sisters, Mary and Ann. His father, Richard Hogarth, was a schoolmaster and literary hack, who had come to the city to seek fame and fortune for his family. William at an early age was already showing signs of interest in the arts, for this was to become his latter career. When his apprenticeship began is not recorded but on finishing his apprenticeship to a silversmith in 1718, he turned to engraving and first became known in 1726 for his illustrations for the novel Hudibras, by Samuel Butler. Hogarth began painting in around 1728, producing small group scenes such as A Musical in 1730. By 1735 he was already well known as a painter of customs and English manners in two series of paintings, A Harlot's Progress and A Rake's Progress. From these sets of engravings...