“The Bench,” created by William Hogarth around the year 1758, is an oil painting on canvas measuring 14.5 by 18 centimeters. This work, classified under the Baroque art movement, is a caricature genre piece and is housed in the Fitzwilliam Museum at the University of Cambridge in Cambridge, UK.
The artwork portrays a group of judges, identifiable by their elaborate judicial wigs and formal robes, seated in a somewhat cramped and shadowy setting. The central figure, who appears more prominently and with greater focus, holds a quill and looks intently towards his peers or perhaps at a document. The expressions and postures of the judges vary, with some appearing contemplative or disinterested, thus capturing a moment of judicial deliberation with a touch of satire typical of Hogarth’s style. The use of dark tones and rich textures adds to the solemn yet slightly comical atmosphere of the painting.
