The Rake's Progress The Rake's Progress The Rake's Progress is an English-language opera in three acts and an epilogue by Igor Stravinsky. The libretto, written by W. H. Auden and Chester Kallman, is based loosely on the eight paintings and engravings "A Rake's Progress" (1733–1735) of William Hogarth, which Stravinsky had seen on 2 May 1947, in a Chicago exhibition. The story concerns the decline and fall of one Tom Rakewell, who deserts Anne Trulove for the delights of London in the company of Nick Shadow, who turns out to be the Devil. After several misadventures, all initiated by the devious Shadow, Tom
John Martin (painter) tremendous successes with their audiences, but wounded Martin's reputation in the serious art world. The painting "The Destruction of Sodom and Gomorrah", 1852 is currently at the Laing Art Gallery in Newcastle upon Tyne. In addition to being a painter, John Martin was a major mezzotint engraver and for significant periods of his life he earned more from his engravings than his paintings. In 1823, Martin was commissioned by Samuel Prowett to illustrate John Milton's "Paradise Lost", for which he was paid 2000 guineas. Before the first 24 engravings were completed he was paid a further 1500 guineas for a