Hogarth at St Bartholomew's Hospital

Hogarth's 'Modern Moral History' paintings, such as "The Harlot's Progress" had proved very popular and had provided him with some measure of financial security and fame, but his ambition was to be a 'great art' painter--that is, a recognised painter of grand themes of an historical, religious or classical nature considered worthy and acceptable by the art critics--helping to place artists on a level with moral philosophers and epic poets in stature. Part of his attempt to attain recognition as such, led to his production of the paintings on the staircase at St Bartholomew's Hospital in 1736-37, paintings which are still admired today.