The Polling Plate III, William Hogarth, 1758

A rural scene with a hustings where ailing men are being brought to vote and the able-bodied are amusing themselves with a drawing of one of the candidates, an execution broadside and a gin bottle; in the middle ground a coach bearing the sign of the union flag has collapsed, but its female passenger (britannia) is unable to gain the attention of her coachmen who are absorbed in a card game; beyond, a bridge across a river is crowded with a riotous procession. Published state. 1758 etching and engraving. Date: 1758. Dimensions: Height: 438 mm; Width: 557 mm. Medium: paper. Depicted People: Sir Edward Walpole. Collection: British Museum. The Polling Plate III (BM S,2.133 1)