1751
ink
From the collection of National Gallery of Art
The Reward of Cruelty is a 1751 ink by William Hogarth, a Romanticism work, held at National Gallery of Art.
This crowded scene shows a chaotic mix of people and animals in a dark room. At the center, a man lies on a table while others gather around him, some holding tools or staring. A dog sniffs at a barrel, and skulls sit on a shelf. The title at the top reads *The Reward of Cruelty*. The artist packed the image with small, detailed figures to show moral chaos. The text below each section adds a warning about cruelty’s consequences. Next, look up etching to see how artists like Hogarth carved images into metal plates.
William Hogarth (; 10 November 1697 – 26 October 1764) was an English painter, engraver, satirist, cartoonist and writer.
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