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The Tête-à-Tête, from Marriage à-la-ModeThe Tête-à-Tête © The National Gallery, London, UK/The Bridgeman Art Library

The Tête-à-Tête, from Marriage à-la-Mode

William Hogarth. c. 1743 C.E. Oil on canvas.

Curator Note

"A satirical swipe at the British aristocracy. Part of a narrative series, this scene shows a young arranged-marriage couple the morning after a night of debauchery. The husband has a syphilis mark and empty pockets; the wife looks bored and mischievous. The steward throws his hands up in despair. It warns that marriage for money leads to ruin."

Form

  • Narrative series (like a storyboard).
  • Rococo influence (pastel colors, frilly details).
  • Cluttered composition (full of clues).
  • Caricature-like expressions.
  • Oil on canvas (later engraved).

Function

  • To satire the decline of the aristocracy.
  • To teach middle-class morality.
  • Entertainment (funny and shocking).
  • Mass produced as prints.
  • Social commentary.

Content

  • Husband: Exhausted, dog sniffing another woman's bonnet in his pocket.
  • Wife: Just woke up, mirror signals vanity.
  • Steward: Holding unpaid bills.
  • Broken statue/Classical bust: Decay of values.
  • Painting of cupid in ruins: Love is dead.

Context

  • Industrial Revolution creating a new wealthy merchant class.
  • Aristocrats were marrying merchants for money ("Squanderfield").
  • Hogarth is the father of English satire.
  • Criticism of French/foreign taste.
  • Moral: Marry for love, not status.