Artwork

The Industrious 'Prentice out of his Time, and Married to his Master's Daughter

The Industrious 'Prentice out of his Time, and Married to his Master's Daughter is an ink print by the Baroque artist William Hogarth. It dates from 1747 and is held in the collection of the National Gallery of Art.

About this work

Overview

Created in 1747, The Industrious ‘Prentice out of his Time, and Married to his Master's Daughter is an etching and engraving by William Hogarth. Part of his series of moralizing narrative prints, the work depicts a bustling workshop interior where an apprentice, his master’s daughter, and assorted figures are shown in a lively, cluttered setting.

Subject & Meaning

The composition centers on a diligent young apprentice who, having earned his master’s favor, is shown marrying the master’s daughter. The crowded environment, filled with workers, a book‑holding figure, and a woman observing from a doorway, underscores themes of social mobility, industriousness, and the rewards of hard work within an 18th‑century trade context.

Technique & Style

Hogford employed both etching and engraving to achieve fine line work and tonal variation. The print’s intricate detailing, visible in the varied costumes, workshop tools, and the sign reading “Goodchild & Mistress”, demonstrates Hogarth’s skill in rendering complex scenes that combine narrative clarity with satirical observation.

History & Provenance

The print was issued as part of Hogarth’s moral series during his most productive period as a satirist and printmaker. Original impressions circulated among collectors of the time, and the work has since entered public collections, reflecting its continued relevance as a document of Georgian social life.

Context

Hogarth, a self‑made artist who rose from a modest London background through apprenticeship, frequently used sequential imagery to critique contemporary manners. This print fits within his broader project of “modern moral subjects,” where everyday episodes are transformed into visual lessons about virtue, labor, and the social order of 18th‑century England.