William Hogarth, The Graham Children (1742)

A painting full of the joy of childhood.

This is William Hogarth’s most famous large-scale portrait at the National Gallery in London. He was the key figure of English Rococo.

It shows the four happy children of Daniel Graham, the apothecary (pharmacist) to King George II. So, obviously a family of considerable wealth and standing.

The painting’s sweetness is undercut be the sad fact that the youngest child, Thomas, in his go-cart, died before the painting was finished. 😞 He is dressed in a skirt - which was, apparently, common for that time. So, it is also a meditation on the fragility of life. He quite possibly steals the show.

I have always loved the detail of the cat peering greedily at the caged bird - it has obvious connotations apropos the ever-present threat of death (i.e. cat) which looms over the fragile & innocent soul (goldfinch - also a significant & recurring allegory/symbol in art history).

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In researching this painting, I was struck by an essay by Diana Francocci about Hogarth’s efforts to improve the lot of impoverished children in 18th century Bloomsbury:

Hogarth’s marriage was childless and yet he had a great affinity with children from all walks of life and this was clearly shown not only in the way he depicted children in paintings and engravings, but also in his position as a Governor of the foundling hospital. He played a considerable part in setting up this institution to take in abandoned children from the streets of London and the surrounding countryside. Coram and his helpers were besieged when the doors opened in March 1741, becoming full in a matter of a mere 4 hours. Hogarth was forced to plead with mothers not to abandon their offspring in the streets to an almost certain death.

This must have had a huge effect on his work as an artist and although he painted beautiful and sensitive paintings of children such as the one discussed above and for which he received payment, much of his work was inspired by the underclasses of the London streets. It has to be realised that the mortality of rate of children during this period was high. There was an enormous disparity between the children if the rich and the poor. Children as young as four or five were expected to help earn the daily bread, by such work as stone picking, bird scaring and berry picking in the countryside. Of course with the Industrial Revolution they had to take on much less healthy work in the factories.