William Hogarth’s Little Shoes

Another step is taken in bringing his world back to life

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When Hogarth’s House re-opens in the autumn it will have new displays which bring the past occupants of the House closer to the modern visitor. This is because the visitors we talked to before the House closed for re-furbishment told us that what they wanted most was to get a sense of the building as a home, rather than as a gallery with serried ranks of Hogarth’s handsome prints.

Now, for example, the closet in Hogarth’s bedroom will house accurate replicas of his clothing, using one of his self-portraits as a guide to what he wore. Hogarth was less than 5 feet tall and the clothes will demonstrate this fact very clearly.

Part of the grant from the Heritage Lottery Fund covers the cost of the clothes, but obtaining replica shoes was proving beyond the budget. The project team has now been able to find a specialist craftsman who can make accurate 18th century shoes, in black leather with a high tongue and a big buckle.

And the Trust has found a local benefactor so a big thank you goes to Tim Little of Tim Little Shoes who has made a donation to the Trust to pay for them.

William Hogarth Trust

June 5, 2011