This is a large 18th century antique engraving of Samuel Butler's mock-herioic narrative poem "Hudibras" by William Hogarth. This is plate 12, "Hudibras encounters the Skimmington".
In 1725, William Hogarth was commissioned by Philip Overton and John Cooper to engrave "twelve Historical and most Diverting Prints, taken from the celebrated Poem of Hudibras (the Don Quixot of this Nation)". These plates then passed to Robert Sayer (1725–1794), Overton's successor, with Hogarth's other early plates.
This print was published by Robert Sayer. Please note that this only includes plate 12 - other plates are available to purchase seperately.
"Hudibras encounters the Skimmington" (Plate 12) shows a riotous scene in a country village where a shrewish wife and hen-pecked husband are mocked by their neighbours, cuckold's horns and a petticoat are held aloft while "rough music" is played, a cat is thrown; Hudibras rides into the crowd to protest at what he describes as a Devil's Procession.
Edition: Robert Sayer
Size: 640mm x 486mm
Condition: poor - a large tear to the left measuring approx 140mm, extending into the print itself. Tear in the right margin measuring approx 50mm. Tears to the bottom and top margins. Some discolouration.