An Election

An Election são quatro painéis de William Hogarth que podem ser vistos no inacreditável Sir John Soane's Museum. Só há pouco tempo o visitei e uma das muitas coisas que me ficaram na cabeça (às vezes fica algo) foram estes quatro quadros. Descrições completas das ilustrações aqui.

An Election Entertainment

The scene is an election 'treat' given by the Whigs to gain voters' support. The guests are arranged around two tables with the two candidates seated at the far end to the left of the picture.



Canvassing for Votes
The second scene takes place in a village street in front of three Inns, the Royal Oak, the Crown and the Portobello. (...) Images of bribery abound, even on the new Inn sign in the foreground where a shower of gold flows from the Treasury into the wheelbarrow of 'PUNCH' the candidate for 'GUZZLEDOWN'.



The Polling
The polling stand is adorned with the flags of the two parties and the candidates sit at back. The Tory candidate is scratching his head, seeming anxious, and the Whig candidate is looking smugly satisfied.




Chairing the Member
The successful Tory candidates are being chaired through the streets in triumph (...)




Aos nossos só lhes faltam as perucas.