3 ms·

William Hogarth’s Satire on False Perspective (1754)

51 points by benbreen 6y ago

Daub 6y ago
A great image. I actually use this when I try to teach perspective. Of all the subjects in art and design, perspective is the most difficult to teach. My success rate has to be 20% at best. And here is the book it was made for: https://archive.org/details/gri_33125009352994/page/n65/mode/2up https://archive.org/details/gri_33125009352994/page/n65/mode... Interesting title. "Dr. Brook Taylor's method of perspective made easy : both in theory and practice : in two books, being an attempt to make the art of perspective easy and familar, to adapt it intirely to the arts of design, and to make it an entertaining study to any gentleman who shall chuse so polite an amusement." The last line of the title evidences that in those days anyone with an education was expected to know how to draw. A few years after this book was published, drawing was introduced as an optional subject in universities.
m463 6y ago
As a kid, images like this were SO fascinating to me. Escher was over-represented in my psyche. (unrelated) I also recall being fascinated by a genre of posters you could buy that showed some location with hundreds or even thousands of people doing stuff in great cartoon detail. (think of of a state fair seen from above)
- ertian 6y ago
  There's a subreddit dedicated to images something like what you describe: http://reddit.com/r/wimmelbilder http://reddit.com/r/wimmelbilder
  - m463 6y ago
    I had to give up before I got sucked in :) thank you!
ggm 6y ago
I had no idea Hogarth had done this. The collection in Sir John Soane's house focusses on 'the rakes progress' and aside from that I only knew of religious works.
- Daub 6y ago
  He was one of a number of artists of the time who were looking at aesthetics. Check out his 'On the analysis of beauty'. https://collectionapi.metmuseum.org/api/collection/v1/iiif/365314/777792/main-image https://collectionapi.metmuseum.org/api/collection/v1/iiif/3... Nowadays, the study of aesthetics is the domain of theorists, critics and commentators. Not always to its benefit. Wry smile emoji. Sir. John Soane's house is a national treasure. An amazing use of space.
  - ggm 6y ago
    great link. thanks! the portrait/cartouche noted 105 is me basically, but without a hat. Living proof Hogarth was a time-traveller.

51 points by benbreen 6y ago

Daub 6y ago

A great image. I actually use this when I try to teach perspective. Of all the subjects in art and design, perspective is the most difficult to teach. My success rate has to be 20% at best. And here is the book it was made for: https://archive.org/details/gri_33125009352994/page/n65/mode/2up https://archive.org/details/gri_33125009352994/page/n65/mode... Interesting title. "Dr. Brook Taylor's method of perspective made easy : both in theory and practice : in two books, being an attempt to make the art of perspective easy and familar, to adapt it intirely to the arts of design, and to make it an entertaining study to any gentleman who shall chuse so polite an amusement." The last line of the title evidences that in those days anyone with an education was expected to know how to draw. A few years after this book was published, drawing was introduced as an optional subject in universities.

m463 6y ago

As a kid, images like this were SO fascinating to me. Escher was over-represented in my psyche. (unrelated) I also recall being fascinated by a genre of posters you could buy that showed some location with hundreds or even thousands of people doing stuff in great cartoon detail. (think of of a state fair seen from above)

ertian 6y ago
There's a subreddit dedicated to images something like what you describe: http://reddit.com/r/wimmelbilder http://reddit.com/r/wimmelbilder
- m463 6y ago
  I had to give up before I got sucked in :) thank you!

ggm 6y ago

I had no idea Hogarth had done this. The collection in Sir John Soane's house focusses on 'the rakes progress' and aside from that I only knew of religious works.

Daub 6y ago
He was one of a number of artists of the time who were looking at aesthetics. Check out his 'On the analysis of beauty'. https://collectionapi.metmuseum.org/api/collection/v1/iiif/365314/777792/main-image https://collectionapi.metmuseum.org/api/collection/v1/iiif/3... Nowadays, the study of aesthetics is the domain of theorists, critics and commentators. Not always to its benefit. Wry smile emoji. Sir. John Soane's house is a national treasure. An amazing use of space.
- ggm 6y ago
  great link. thanks! the portrait/cartouche noted 105 is me basically, but without a hat. Living proof Hogarth was a time-traveller.