Later the Gambling House became an Exclusive Club
Hogarth, William (1697 London 1764). Scene in a Gaming House. Also the money of the old maid is squandered and now Rakewell tried futilely his luck in gambling (playing the dice). Engraving by Thomas Cook (c. 1744 – London 1818). Inscribed: Pl. VI. / Hogarth pinxt. / T. Cook sculpt. / Published by Longman, Hurst, Rees, & Orme, March 1st. 1808. Subject size 14.6 x 17.2 cm.
The Rake’s Progress VI. – Cook’s smaller version without the multi-verse subtext here replaced by the series title. – Cook “made his mark as Hogarth engraver, too” (Thieme-Becker). – Trimmed within the wide white platemark.
Hogarth’s marvellous detailed depiction of gambling .
Represented the gaming room in White’s coffeehouse – by now about 250 years renown as the exclusive White’s Club – in the moment of May 3rd, 1733, when the fire broke out. Of which the gamblers at the two tables not yet take notice of. Still the game runs. Win the winners, loose the loosers, continue the profiteers to lend their money. Only “on the right a man turns … his back to luck as he could not stand anymore to look at luck’s back” (Lichtenberg). – Over the fireside advertising for playing cards “R. Iustian Card Maker to b…”.
Offer no. 8,871 / EUR 95. (c. US$ 132.) + shipping
– – – The same in steel engraving about 1840. 14 x 15.6 cm. – With title in German + English.
Offer no. 7,900 / EUR 60. (c. US$ 83.) + shipping
Complete copies of the set and further single plates available .
„ Best her Niemeyer, De prenten zijn vanmiddag in goede staat gearriveerd. Alleen al het uitpakken is een genot! Ze zien er prachtig uit (vooral The Idel ’prentice is een juweel) … Wat dat betreft, zijn eigenlijk alle prenten die u mij hebt toegezonde, van uitstekende kwaliteit … “
(Mijnheer P. E., 1. Februar 2008)