Who painted Hudibras beats Sidrophel and his man Whacum?

Hudibras beats Sidrophel and his man Whacum was painted by William Hogarth in 1726.

Where can I see Hudibras beats Sidrophel and his man Whacum?

Hudibras beats Sidrophel and his man Whacum is held by National Gallery of Art.

What movement is Hudibras beats Sidrophel and his man Whacum?

Hudibras beats Sidrophel and his man Whacum is associated with Baroque.

Artwork

Hudibras beats Sidrophel and his man Whacum

William Hogarth , 1726

Hudibras beats Sidrophel and his man Whacum is an ink print by the Baroque artist William Hogarth. It dates from 1726 and is held in the collection of the National Gallery of Art.

About this work

Overview

The 1726 print titled *Hudibras beats Sidrophal and his man Whacum* combines etching and engraving to illustrate a violent episode from Samuel Butler’s satirical poem *Hudibras*. In the image, the poem’s hero confronts a duplicitous astrologer and his assistant, rendering the literary conflict in a compact, bustling interior scene.

Subject & Meaning

The composition captures the moment of physical retribution against the astrologer, a figure associated with false wisdom, and his accomplice. By portraying the confrontation, the print underscores the poem’s critique of pretentious learning and moral hypocrisy, using the clash as a visual metaphor for the triumph of common sense over deceit.

Technique & Style

Hogarth employed a blend of etching and engraving, allowing for both delicate line work and bold, incised areas. The crowded interior, populated with a globe, a book, a sword, and a skeletal figure, creates a dramatic depth typical of Baroque sensibilities, while the crisp detailing of clothing and facial expressions reflects the artist’s skill in narrative printmaking.

History & Provenance

Created by William Hogarth, a leading English satirist of the early eighteenth century, the print emerged during his prolific period of social commentary. Hogarth, who rose from a modest London background to become a prominent figure in British visual satire, produced the work as part of his broader engagement with literary subjects and moralizing themes.

Context

The image belongs to a tradition of visualizing contemporary literature, translating Butler’s mock‑heroic verse into a scene that could be widely disseminated through prints. Its baroque vigor aligns with the period’s taste for dynamic, emotionally charged representations, while its satirical edge mirrors the growing public appetite for criticism of pretension and corruption.