Hogarth, William (1697 London 1764). The Time Smoking a Picture (As Statues moulder into Worth). Saturn as winged death heartily smoking at a painting to give it the major orders. Engraving by Thomas Cook (c. 1744 – London 1818). (1795-1803.) Inscribed: (G. G. & J. Ro)binson, Pater noster-row. London. / Engrav’d by T. Cook. 25.4 x 20 cm.

With distich. – On the left trimmed within the white platemark with partial loss of the address, otherwise wide-margined. – Originally intended as subscription ticket for “Sigismunda”, Hogarth aims at both the so-called connoisseurs as the “mean trading with antiques”:

“ The honourable Saturn gives the higher merit to a painting by heartily smoking tobacco at it to bring forth those valuable tender inks which create the higher worth. Art collectors may imitate him and hang newer paintings, like ham, under the chimney hood. … To bestow the soot of the smoke furthermore with a more shining ink a pot with the inscription: Varnish stands besides. The broken off hand of an antique torso points at it as a necessary requirement to raise the artificial value of the tender or rather smoky inks by shine ”

(Lichtenberg).
Offer no. 7,565 / EUR  138. (c. US$ 202.) + shipping

– – – The same in Cook’s smaller version. Inscribed: Hogarth pinxt. / T. Cook sculpt. / Published by Longman, Hurst, Rees, & Orme, March 1^st. 1809. Image size 16.8 x 14 cm. – Trimmed within the broad white platemark.
Offer no. 8,995 / EUR  49. (c. US$ 72.) + shipping

– – – The same in Hogarth’s own engraving, here from the plate reworked by the Royal engraver James Heath (1757 London 1834) about 1822. 24.6 x 18.3 cm.
Offer no. 9,519 / EUR  66. (c. US$ 96.) + shipping

– – – The same in engraving by Ludwig Riepenhausen (1765 Göttingen 1840). Inscribed: W. Hogarth inv. / R. sc. 25.2 x 18.2 cm. – Fine early impression.
Offer no. 7,798 / EUR  76. (c. US$ 111.) + shipping

– – – The same by Riepenhausen in an impression on slightly toned minor paper. – Small paper scrape off in the lateral plate margin repaired.
Offer no. 9,520 / EUR  50. (c. US$ 73.) + shipping

– – – The same by Riepenhausen in an impression on especially strong paper of about 1850. – The wide white margin partially somewhat stained.
Offer no. 9,521 / EUR  60. (c. US$ 88.) + shipping

– – – The same in lithograph by C. F. Heintz. (1833-36.) Inscribed (“Der Zeitgott raucht ein Gemälde an!”). 29.1 x 16.4 cm. – Comprehensive subtext in German.
Offer no. 12,148 / EUR  50. (c. US$ 73.) + shipping

– – – The same in steel engraving. C. 1840. Inscribed. 18.5 x 14 cm. – On the right trimmed on the outer border line.
Offer no. 7,800 / EUR  29. (c. US$ 42.) + shipping

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(Mrs. M. K., September 16, 2003)