MARRIAGE A LA MODE

William Hogarth, 1742 - 1745

Marriage A-La-Mode is conceivably Hogarth's most significant work of art. It represents a serial
design that separated him from any other individual of the era while at the same time prodding
at social affairs. Marriage A-La-Mode is one of the earliest examples of what we refer to in
modern times as a "comic." It is a series of panels that narrates a story of an upper-class,
arranged marriage between the son of a bankrupt nobleman in need of money and the daughter
of a wealthy merchant desiring a rise in social class. What makes this story so unique though, is
the careful attention Hogarth pays to each scene. Almost every detail acts as context to the even
greater story of 18th century society. He makes multiple allusions to old proverbs, current
expressions, and social graces that desire attention to fully understand the levity of the story
Hogarth is trying to portray. Marriage A-La-Mode's original purpose was to be engraved and
resold in sets as prints.
1. The Marriage Settlement
The first scene operates as the introduction of characters and situations that are soon to follow.
The scene opens up in the house of the bankrupt Earl Squanderfield's bedroom where the Earl
and merchant are bargaining over what sits in the center of the frame, the marriage agreement.
The merchant possesses wealth but no family title, while the Earl possesses a long familial
lineage and title, but little wealth. Each character's personality and intentions are carefully
detailed.
To the far right, the Earl points to a family tree that apparently traces his family back to
William the Conqueror. It seems the Earl has a very lofty and proud manner, which probably
could be further embellished if her were not hindered by his gout. This here is a poke Hogarth
likes to make at upper-class style: While the Earl is finely suited in gold-trimmed court dress,
somehow some of his extravagance is extracted by the scantily wrapped foot. Among other
things that take away from the Earl's supposed wealth, outside the window the scaffolding of an
under construction mansion which seems to be at a standstill as mortgage papers for its building
are sitting on the table.
On the left sits the merchant's son, who is vainly admiring himself in a mirror and the
Earl's daughter who sits in her wedding dress with a resigned look on her face as she listens to a
young lawyer. There are smaller details that are important to note of each character. The black
spot on the merchant's son's neck is a symbol that he is taking black mercurial pills for his
venereal disease, something which will play a much larger role later on. The name of the lawyer,
Silvertongue, also alludes to the old proverb that says, "A man who hath no money in his purse
must have silver in his tongue." Each of these character details add to the context of the larger
picture.
Lastly, in the setting can be found two dogs chained together in the bottom corner, meant
to represent the chaining together of the two children.
2. The Tte Tte (Breakfast Scene)
The next frame is a few months after the wedding inside the completed house viewed in
the first panel. Also still restated and more obvious from the first panel is the black spot on the
merchant's son's neck. It is evident that the married couple is anything but happy. The dazed and
tired look on the young husband's face and the lady's cap stuffed in his left pocket suggests that
he only recently returned from a late night on the town. What is also interesting to notice is the
wife's wily expression. It is much more obvious that her husband has had the more roguish night,
but based on the evidence in the room such as cards scattered on the floor and two violins which
lie in a sexually suggestive way suggest that her night may have been equally mischievous.
Also interesting is how the wife's stomach appears to jut out, which suggests a possible
pregnancy. It is impossible to tell from this frame though, if the wife has impregnated by her
husband or the possible suitor who may have paid a visit to her the previous night. This
pregnancy also adds to the wife's sly and secretive expression. By definition, Tte Tte implies
that it is a private meeting with no third party involvement. But on top of the details already
suggested, further study of the setting hints differently.

A last poke at the clear lack of elegance is the unfortunate and unorganized arrangement
of objects on top of the mantle. But while they do serve as a representation for the family's
tastelessness, it also serves as an example of the fashions of the time. In the 1740's, Chinese
buddas and putti were extremely trendy and Hogarth's inclusion of these pieces helps further
define the time the painting takes place in. The broken nose on the centerpiece also acts as an
allegory for impotence. Lastly, the steward exiting to the left with a pile of bills in his hand
expresses disgust.
3. The Inspection
The first task this scene undertakes is clearing up the questionable black mark on the
husband's neck from the previous two frames. It is now certain that he has a venereal disease
because the pill box has been placed near his groin. With cane raised and a pill box extended
towards the doctor, it seems that the husband is protesting that the pills do not work because his
"girlfriend" standing to his left holds a tissue to her face, apparently affected by the same
disease. Scrubbing his glasses with a filthy cloth, an allusion to the doctor's illegitimacy, the
doctor laughs at the situation as he and his virago too are infected by the disease with a black
marks situated near their faces.
Perfectly situated on the table is a human skull, not unusual for a doctor to have in his
office, but in this case serves as an omen for what's to come for every individual in the room.
Other pieces are scattered throughout the room such as jars of drugs, medical books, and
alchemist utensils, which further add to the context of the frame. Each piece can give further
detail into how medicine was practiced in the 1740's. Noticeable too is the skeleton in the
cabinet that appears to be making an advance on the other body, which continues to taunt at
the situation all the characters are in.
Interesting to note is how the pattern on the dress of the young girl is the same as the
virago which changes the levity of the scene suggesting that the young girl probably has some
relation to the virago.
4. The Toilette
Time has clearly passed between this scene and the last. Sitting atop the bed-poster is the
Earl's coronet, which suggests that the older Earl has died and his son has inherited his status.
Also, a teething coral hangs from the corner of her chair, which suggests that the child she was
suspected to have in the 2nd scene has been born.
This action in the scene is a beau monde, a popular practice in London where individuals
of higher society invite outer-circle friends into their home during the time when they are being
beautified because it is the only time she can socialize with them, and the wife has become such
a desirable figure. Vanity trumps all for the new Countess as she situates herself in front of a
mirror, also with an Earl coronet atop of it, paying very little attention to the groups of people
behind her working to gain her favor and attention.
Most importantly though, is the interaction between Silvertongue, feet propped up on the
couch, and the Countess. In his hand is a ticket as the other hand points to a painting of a
masquerade, which suggests that he wants her to meet him there so they can spend an evening
together without anyone's awareness.
Again, background images add to the context of the scene. The most important to point
out is the two painting just above the Countess's mirror, one of Jupiter disguised as a bear
chasing Carreggio and the other of Lot's daughter intoxicating their father so he will fall into a
state of seduction. Both of these images, while very different, have sexual references that might
foreshadow Silvertongue's later intentions. There is further indication too, of the ostentatious
decoration of the family as the servant child sits on the floor playing with the most recent
additions to the Countess's collection.
5. The Bagnio
Again, action moves quickly between scenes as we now find our characters at the climax
of the sequence of scenes. The Earl lays wounded at the hand of Silvertongue inside of a Bagnio,
which at the time often served as a place that would give rooms to anyone overnight, free of
questioning. It is apparent that the Earl followed his wife and Silvertongue to the Bagnio but upon

discovery, the Earl challenges the Silvertongue to a duel, which he loses, and Silvertongue
escapes through the rear window. The wife props on her knees, begging for her husbands
forgiveness, but all of the commotion has caused the housemaster to barge in on the right.
Light plays an interesting role in this darkened picture. Each source of light in the room
reveals different parts of the scene that have some sort of significance. Revealed by the fireplace
off-frame, masks, loose articles of clothing, a pillbox, Silvertongue's bloodstained sword, and a
pile of faggots, which is believed to play a double meaning as a harlot. Illuminated by the candle
in the corner is another significant portrait, The Judgment of Solomon, a metaphorical portrayal
of the revelation of truth. The candle also sheds light on the escaping Silvertongue. The last
source of light comes from the housemaster's lantern, which reveals an eerie shadow of a cross
upon the door, which calls into question the religious representations of this frame. The Earl
hangs on the ledge in the same convention that Christ is often depicted on the cross as the
Countess kneels below him in a position similar to Mary Magdalene.
A last point of question is the Countess's intentions as she kneels to her husband. A tear falls
down her face, but it is never really clear if this tear is spurned from true remorse for her
husband, fear for the discovery of her misconduct, or fear of what will happen to her after her
husband passes away. Intentions are never really clarified by other details on the room.
6. The Lady's Death
The final scene is set in the house of the Countess's father. The Countess has just received
news from the leaflet at her feet that her lover has been hung for murder. In grief, she poisons
herself with the bottle also found lying at her feet. It seems she thought nothing of her child
before drinking the poison. A nurse lifts the child who is crippled by syphilis, as marked by the
black spot on her cheek, in order to embrace her mother for the last time. The Countess's father,
in the same clothing as the first scene, solemnly removes a ring from his daughter's finger
because in the era, articles from a suicide were forfeit. To the right of them is an apothecary who
accuses one of the servants of providing the Countess with the poison.
The decoration of the room and the fact that the nobleman is wearing the same clothing
as the first scene demonstrates his complete lack of fashion. The paintings on the wall are all
low-life and crude and the furniture is everything short of spectacular. Outside the window the
London Bridge can be seen and works as another indication of the location and era of the scenes.
On the far right is shown a starved dog that is working to make off with the nobleman's
makeshift meal, the head of a pig. The head of the pig seems to stare right at the Countess
across the room, which creepily resembles her own. The pig's snout turns up, which is reflected
in the Countess's pointed shoes, a further indication of looming death.
source - http://williamhogarth.webs.com/marriagealamode.htm

The Marriage Settlement

The Inspection

The Bagnio

Tte Tte (Breakfast Scene)

The Toilette

The Lady's Death