CULTURE& CIVILIZATION

Elizabeth Woodward Marriage À-la-Mode: Hogarth. (6 SCENES)

DETAIL SCENE(S) MEANING

CORONETS DECORATING 1 (& 4) The earl is very proud of being an aristocrat and
EVERYWHERE decorates everything with them; his new daughter-in-law
does the same in her bedroom
PORTRAIT WITH FALSE 1 Nobody had received this medal in the earl’s lifetime, so
MEDAL it must be false
FAMILY TREE 1 The earl points to his place in a family tree going back to
William the Conqueror (700 years??). He is trying to
impress the Alderman
TWO DOGS CHAINED 1 A pair of dogs chained together, symbols of the unhappy
TOGETHER couple who are to be married whether they want to or not
BOOK OF RELIGIOUS 2 The steward, who manages the couple’s finances, sees
SERMONS they are going towards bankruptcy and ruin, he is a man
of high morals, he reads religious texts like this one
DOG SNIFFING AT 2 The lady’s pet dog doesn’t recognise the smell of the lace
SOMETHING UNFAMILIAR cap in the viscount’s pocket. Perhaps it is a trophy or
souvenir of his night out...
PICTURE HALF-COVERED 2 1. Bad taste, if the picture is so scandalous why is it in a
room frequented by everyone. 2. Symbolic of hidden
truths, not everything is as innocent as it seems
SMALL HAND MIRROR 2 She must be signalling to somebody (her lover) to leave
the room once her husband falls asleep or passes out
TWO VIOLINS 2 One on top of the other, sexual connotations; the lady has
not just been playing cards all night
DEFORMED NOSE & LEGS 3 (& 6) Symptoms of advance stages of syphilis; doctor has
them, so he can’t even cure himself; baby has inherited
disease from his parents; not long to live
FLOWERED MATERIAL 3 Woman’s top and girl’s skirt are of same material;
indicates mother and daughter; daughter follows mother
in same profession (prostitutes)
LETTERS “F.C.” 3 Female convict; branded/tattooed on woman’s chest; she
has been in prison
PORTRAIT OF A LAWYER 4 Silvertongue’s portrait decorates lady’s bedroom; they
are openly lovers; husband doesn’t know or care
SINGER & MUSICIAN 4 Castrato singer (fashionable to employ one to entertain
visitors at this hour); the music helps to cover the details
of the conversation between the lovers
TICKET FOR A 4 (& 5) Silvertongue invites her to a masked ball; they will dress
MASQUERADE as a nun/monk; scandalous events, illicit liaisons go
undetected because of disguises
VISITING CARDS 4 The lady has such a full social agenda she can’t attend to
SCATTERED ON FLOOR all the invitations she receives; names of people show
they are neither really high class nor intellectual...
BUNDLE OF FIREWOOD 5 Also called a faggot, and this also means harlot or
prostitute; the lady is behaving as a prostitute
SOMEONE ESCAPING 5 Silvertongue has stabbed the viscount; he must escape
THROUGH OPEN WINDOW before they catch him, he wastes no time in getting
dressed
A CHILD’S NURSE 6 She holds the baby so that he can give a last kiss and hug
to his dying mother; she looks really concerned
EMPTY BOTTLE OF 6 The lady has drunk the whole bottle of the “remedy” for
LAUDANUM her disease; mixture of opium, as painkiller.
HUNGRY DOG 6 Very hungry; count his ribs; in this house there is little
food; the dog takes advantage of the chaos to eat

http://www.nationalgallery.org.uk/paintings/william-hogarth-marriage-a-la-mode 1
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