Four Times of the Day Four Times of the Day Four Times of the Day is a series of four oil paintings by English artist William Hogarth. Completed in 1736, they were reproduced as a series of four engravings published in 1738. They are humorous depictions of life in the streets of London, the vagaries of fashion, and the interactions between the rich and poor. Unlike many of Hogarth's other series, such as "A Harlot's Progress", "A Rake's Progress", "Industry and Idleness", and "The Four Stages of Cruelty", it does not depict the story of an individual, but instead focuses on the society of the
William Hogarth also influenced many caricaturists of the 18th, 19th and 20th centuries. Hogarth's influence lives on today as artists continue to draw inspiration from his work. Hogarth's paintings and prints have provided the subject matter for several other works. For example, Gavin Gordon's 1935 ballet "The Rake's Progress", to choreography by Ninette de Valois, was based directly on Hogarth's series of paintings of that title. Igor Stravinsky's 1951 opera "The Rake's Progress", with libretto by W. H. Auden, was less literally inspired by the same series. Hogarth's engravings also inspired the BBC radio play "The Midnight House" by Jonathan Hall, based