In the fertile turbulence of the eighteenth century flourished one of Britain's greatest artists: painter, printmaker, satirist, and social critic William Hogarth. Seen here alongside the major European contemporaries who influenced him or took their inspiration from him, Hogarth is revealed not only as a key figure in British art history, but also as a major European artist. This book casts new light on the artists and their times, focusing on the themes of social protest, sexuality, satire and city life - centred on London, Paris, Venice and Amsterdam.