The artwork titled “Married to an Old Maid” by William Hogarth is a lithograph on paper. Created in the Rococo art movement, this genre painting is part of Hogarth’s series “Rake’s Progress”. The artwork is currently held in a private collection.
In the artwork, a young groom dons elegant attire and stands beside a considerably older bride, who is adorned extravagantly in her wedding dress and headpiece, implying a significant discrepancy in age and perhaps, beauty ideals. To the left, a collection of onlookers, including two women and a child, seem engaged in various activities, contributing to a scene bustling with characters and narrative. Among the prominent features are pets and ornate detailing that epitomize the ornate aesthetic of the Rococo period. The scene, laden with social commentary, exudes an air of satirical observation characteristic of Hogarth’s works.
