William Hogarth, an English painter and printmaker, created the painting “The March of the Guards to Finchley” in 1750. This artwork is a depiction of a fictional mustering of troops in Tottenham Court Road, ready to march north to Finchley and defend the capital from the second Jacobite rebellion of 1745. The painting shows soldiers gathered at the turnpike on Tottenham Court Road, while more troops are depicted marching ahead up Hampstead Road towards Finchley.
Hogarth’s painting contrasts disorderly figures in the foreground with disciplined soldiers marching in line towards their camp at Finchley. He aimed to showcase that a Protestant trading nation could produce history paintings free from absolutist tendencies. Furthermore, “The March of the Guards to Finchley” is considered as one of Hogarth’s masterworks since it gave full scope to his sense of satire.
This artwork remains under the care of London’s Foundling Museum and has been reproduced in different forms like etchings and engravings. Overall, William Hogarth’s “The March of the Guards to Finchley” serves as an accurate portrayal of military life during his time while offering viewers criticism on certain societal issues through his satirical depictions.
