William Hogarth was the great artist of 18th-century London; his work supplies the most enduring vision of the era's ebullience, enjoyments, and social iniquities. From a childhood spent in a debtor's prison to his death in the arms of his wife, this book follows the painter's life through his own eyes as he makes a name for himself and fights for artists' rights with his Copyright Act. Also the biographer of Noam Chomsky, Michael Dean blends Hogarth's life and work into a vivid narrative.

"If the BBC hasn't already optioned this, it should get a move on: Hogarth's life, as Dean portrays it, is an educational but sexily pleasurable costume drama waiting to happen."—Publishers Weekly