Places of Profit, William Hogarth, circa 1763

Satire on alleged political corruption during the premiership of lord bute: copy in reverse of one compartment of "places (being a sequel to the posts) a political pasquinade (see 1868,0808. 4321): lord sandwich, holding his cricket bat, presides over the admiralty board whose members are asleep in their chairs; two sailors are turned away at the pay office while henry fox converses with venal politicians; a gentleman in a long wig presides over the treasury board consisting of five scots seated at a table covered with empty money bags, an empty chest lying on the floor; seven recipients of government pensions present themselves, among them 'm. ', arthur murphy (?), 'orator s', tobias smollett, 'h', william hogarth at his easel wearing a fool's cap, his dog at his feet, 'p. W. ', paul whitehead, deputy wardrobe keeper to the king, standing beside a coat on a stand. 1763 etching. Date: circa 1763. Dimensions: Height: 125 mm (trimmed?); Width: 153 mm (trimmed?). Medium: paper. Depicted People: John Montagu, 4th Earl of Sandwich. Collection: British Museum. Places of Profit (BM 1868,0808.4322)