William Hogarth (1697-1764) - Il pugile

The famous portrait of Charles Churchill by William Hogarth, titled The Bruiser (Il Pugile), is a satirical engraving from 1762. It depicts Churchill as an anthropomorphic bear (the "brutal Russian Hercules") holding a beer stein and a staff with a noose knot, next to Trump (Hogarth's dog) urinant over Churchill's work "An Epistle to Hogarth" (1763). In response to the criticisms leveled by the poet against the artist.

In the lower right-hand corner palette, Hogarth enters as a tout, driving Wilkes – depicted as a monkey riding a stick topped with the liberty cap and holding the *North Briton* – while Churchill advances in the likeness of a bear with a muzzle, adorned with ruff and sash, and with a plumed hat on his head. The artist lashes them, forcing them to keep time to the harsh notes of a featureless violinist, identified by many with the Earl of Temple.

The details of the work are analyzed and documented in the historical-artistic essay available on the Cle Ens-Lyon portal.

Under the image the title, the names of the artists and the publication note are listed:

Edizione ottocentesca in buonissimo stato di conservazione, con ampi margini

William Hogarth (Londra, 1697 – 1764) oli ollut an English painter, etser and satirical printmaker. He was the greatest English artist of his time. He was also the first to achieve fame and success in Europe during his lifetime thanks to his graphics. And even today universally recognized as the greatest personality of the British arts.