The First Stage of Cruelty

William Hogarth

National Gallery of Art

This is a drawing of scenes of animal cruelty. The scene is set in a street with buildings in the background, featuring a church steeple and a rooftop weather vane. The drawing depicts individuals engaging in and witnessing activities of animal cruelty. In the foreground, a figure with a covered face is attempting to hang a cat suspended from a lamppost, while another reaches out anxiously. Below them, several individuals appear to be harming dogs. One person is inserting an arrow into the ground behind one of the animals. Another figure on the left is tormenting a dog with a large stick, while on the ground, a man is harming another dog and a snake. Some individuals are watching and some appear to be participating in these acts with enjoyment. The architecture suggests an urban environment, with brickwork and street lamps providing context. The overall mood is chaotic and distressing, reflecting inhumanity and indifference towards suffering.