Writing the Picture: Fielding, Smollett, and Hogarthian Pictorialism

WritingthePicture:Fielding,Smollett,and HogarthianPictorialism PAMELACANTRELL Duringthelateseventeenthandearlyeighteenthcenturiestheexpressionof thesister-artsrelationshiphadbeguntoshiftfromasharedsystemof traditionalsymbolsandemblemstomoreuniversalsortsofrelations betweenimageandnarrative.InvokingMikhailBakhtin,RonaldPaulson hasrecentlyseenthereplacementofsacredimagesandbiblicaltextsasan iconoclasticbreakwiththepast,abreakfrom"literaryandartistic precursors,oratleastthecanonicalonesidolizedbysociety'sconnoisseurs andcritics."1Bakhtinin"EpicandNovel"relatesthisshifttotherisein prominenceofthenovel,agenrewhichexistsoutsidethe"high"literature oftherulingsocietalgroup.Whenthenovelbecamethedominantgenrein theeighteenthcentury,it"novelized"othergenres,makingthem"morefree andflexible."2Novelizationwasnotlimitedtoliterarygenres;asimilar reactionisevidentinthevisualarts.AsPaulsonnotesinEmblemand Expression,Renaissanceemblemsdidnotdisappear,butweredisplacedto areasoflesserimport,becominginmanyinstancesnomorethan"topoion thewall."Thetimehadcomeforart'spositionasthe"idoloftheruling culture,"inPaulson'sphrasing,tobereplacedbyits"subculture equivalent"—anartandliteratureaimedatthegeneralpublic.3Asaresult, therelationshipofpaintingtotextasithadexistedintheRenaissance traditionbegantoyieldtonewculturalandartisticsensibilities. Justaseighteenth-centurypaintersbegantoabandontheallegoryand symbolsofRenaissanceartinfavorofthemorefamiliarnarrativestyleof modernhistorypainting,popularwriterssuchasHenryFielding,Laurence Sterne,andTobiasSmollettcametovaluethespatialityandpictorialism intrinsictothevisualarts.Itbecamecommonpracticetoinvokethepencil ofsuchcontemporaryartistsasThomasRowlandsonandWilliamHogarth 69 70/CANTRELL whenlanguageseemedinsufficienttoexpressavividfacialexpressionor physical trait. Overtheyearsananalogyhasoftenbeensuggestedbetweentheartof WilliamHogarthandthenovelsofHenryFielding,ananalogyfoundedin Fielding'scomplimentaryreferencetoHogarthbynameintheprefaceto JosephAndrews(1742)andinHogarth'sresponseinhisprintCharacters andCaricaturas(1743)where,asMartinC.Battestinnotes,Hogarthac- tuallyrepaidthecomplimenttwice,bothinthecaptionandwithintheprint itself.4RobertEtheridgeMooresometimeagocitedseveralareasof similarityofcharacterandincidentbetweenHogarthandFielding,andalso notedthedirectinfluenceofHogarth'simageryonFielding'sstyle.5Andin a1981study,PeterJandeVoogdarguesstronglyforaHogarth-Fielding analogybaseduponaffinitiesinstyleandideology,aswellasinthemany mutualreferencesfoundwithintheworksofboth.6RonaldPaulsonhas datedtherelationshipbetweenHogarthandFieldingto1728,uponthe publicationofFielding'sTheMasquerade,whichPaulsonbelievestohave beendirectlyinspiredbyHogarth'sMasqueradeTicket? InhisfamousprefacetoJosephAndrews,FieldingdescribesHogarthas hiscounterpartinthevisualartsandclaimstoadoptHogarth'sartistic practicebydivorcingtheburlesquefromcomedyinliteratureaspartofan attempttoelevatethelowlyformofthenoveltothegenericlevelofthe epic,justasHogarthhadraisedthedepictionofcharacterabovethatof caricature.8Hogarthhadtakenthealreadyestablishedaristocraticformof historypaintingandtriedtodemocratizeit,replacingbiblicalandmythical sceneswithrealisticmoderncharactersandevents,therebytransforming historypaintingintoacontemporary,middle-classgenre.Bycontrast, Fieldingusedrepresentationalchangestoraisethelevelofthecomicnovel fromamereburlesqueintowhatFieldingcalls"acomicepicpoemin prose"afterthelostcomicepicsofHomer.9BothFieldingandHogarth publiclyfosteredasymbioticinfluencethatwouldservetofurtherthe analogybetweenthenovelandmodernhistorypainting,yettheiraffinity reliesmoreonteleologicalapproximationthanideology.Iwouldliketo suggestthatFielding'semphasisonepicinfactdistanceshimideologically fromHogarthwho,ratherthanclingtoancientmodels,meanttobreakfrom traditioninordertocreateacompositemodernform,andthatamorefruitful correspondencewithHogarthmaybechartedintheworksofTobias Smollett. WhetherFieldingfailedtorecognizethatheandHogarthhadactuallyset outtoaccomplishdifferentgoalsornot,heconsistentlypromotedthe analogybetweenhimselfandHogarthincallinguponthe"inimitable pencil"ofHogarthwhenhewantedtoilluminateadirectreferencetoa specificHogarthprintorwhenhefeltthataparticularfacialexpressionwas especiallycharacteristicofHogarth.10NodoubtFieldingaimedtodoinhis novelswhatHogarthaccomplishedvisually,andsucceededincreatingscenes ofrealisticcharactersplacedinreal-lifesituations.Here,however,the WritingthePicture/71 analogybeginstoweaken.PaulsontellsusthatFieldingunderstoodthe "operation"ofHogarth'sprogressesandthatheputitintopracticeinJoseph Andrews.Inthatwork"delusionsareconstantlybeingexposed,though dreadedconsequencesareavoided."1'Theclaimistrueasfarasitgoessince thegeneralmovementofthestory,thesubjectmatter,andtheBakhtinian useofcontemporaryrealitytocreatecomedyallcorrespondtotheliterary aspectofHogarth'stechnique. Andyet,Fieldingrarelyaccomplishesinhisprosefictionatrulyvisual Hogarthianscene.Fieldingwritesasustainednarrativeincorporatingwell- developedbutnotindividualizedcentralcharacterswhoplayanintegralrole intheactionofthestory.Hogarth'sseriesmoveinalinearfashionwitha focusonthemaincharacters],yettheyalsoincludeactivityandcharacters thatserveasasecondarylocusofsatire.InMarriagealaMode(1745),for example,plate3(figure1)illustratesnotonlytheneedofatreatmentfor syphilisbutservesalsoasasatireonthepracticeofmedicinebyquack doctors.Whileitadvancesthelinearactionoftheseriesasawhole,the sceneisbothactiveandinterestingwhenitstandsalone.Fromthe licentiousmovementbytheskeletoninthecloset,tothemachinesinthe leftforeground(morefortorture,itappears,thanforhealing!),tothe assortmentofstrangeobjectsthatlinethewalloverhead(includinga crocodileontheceiling),ourgazeisfreetowander,stop,examineand interprettheuniqueenvironmentHogarthcreatesforhisprotagonist.An abundanceofvisualdetailaugmentstheactionatthecenteroftheprint, wherethecentraldramaoftheearlandtheresultsofhissexualescapadesis rendered.Hogarthpresentsuswithavarietyofactivityextendingthe parametersofthelinearprogress.Bycontrast,Paulsontellsus, Fielding'spicaresque,withthemediationofAugustanideasofunity andeconomy,givestheimpressionofbeingsingle-minded,astraight lineinwhichintensityofgazemakesupforvariety.Everydetailor encountercontributestothedevelopmentofanargumentconcerning therelationshipbetweengreatnessandgoodnessorformandfeeling.12 Anotherpointofdifferenceliesinthesenseof"author"asmediator betweenthereader,orbeholder,andthematerial.InFielding,toquote Paulson,"thenarrator'sgravelyironicstancemakesthereaderawareatevery stepofanauthorstandingbetweenhimandthematerial,preventingany irrelevantinformationfromreachinghim."13Hogarth'sprintsarerelatively unmediated.Oureyesarefreetotakeineverypictorialdetailandarenaof actionwithintheprint.ThisisnottosaythatHogarthdoesnotguideour gazethroughthenarrative,butratherthatwearefreetoexamineatour leisureallthenooksandnuancesofthescene.Itisasifwewereonthe insidepokingabout,abletoexploreoursurroundingsbeforemovingon. Yetatthesametimewearenotintegrallyinvolvedinthescene;wearenot actuallyapartoftheactionasaresuchcentralcharactersofFielding'sas TomJonesorJosephAndrews.Itisasthoughwewereinsteadaminor 72/CANTRELL character,abletoobserveandreportthesceneinallitsdetailfromaclosely involvedpointofviewwherewereacttoasituationratherthancreateit. Whenwelookbeyondthemoreobviouspointsofrelationshipbetween HogarthandFielding—Fielding'sdirectappropriationofcharacterand incidentandhisunderstandingofthebasicworkingofaHogarthseries—we findthattheanalogyendsunsatisfactorilyattheformalleveland,although FieldingowesmuchtoHogarth'sinfluence,herarelyachievesthevisual acuityofaHogarthprint.TobiasSmollettontheotherhand,oftendoes. WhatPaulsonseesasaweaknessinSmollett,Iwouldsuggestlinkshim, moresothanFielding,toHogarth: Smollett's[satire]iscentrifugal,awayfromtheheroandtowarda generalexploration.Moreover,thecentral"I"whoisseeing,being actedupon,andreactingproducesaheightenedreality....Heappears tobeintheverymiddleofthechaoticaction,describingwhatitfeels like,whileFielding'snormativeandcontrollingnarratorisonthe periphery....WithSmollett'slackofdetachment...comesamuch greatersenseofimmediacy,orsensuouscontact,almosttotally lackinginFielding'snovels.14 InaSmollettnovel,thereaderassumesthepointofviewofthecentral character(or,inthecaseofHumphryClinker,ofthecharacterwho,as currentletter-writer,iscentralatthetime)withouttheauthor'smediating presence.Herethecharacteroftenadoptstheroleoftheviewerofavisual workofart.Guidedbythecharacterratherthanbytheauthor,weareable toperusethewrittensceneaswewouldapainting,takinginallofthe peripheralobjectsandinformationbecauseweareatthecenterlookingout throughtheeyesofthecharacter.Ourgazeisguidedbutalsodiffuse.Asin aprintbyHogarth,theperipherybecomesasimportantasthecentral action.J.PaulHunterwritesthat"Smolletthasmoreofthesatirist's interestsinconfessionalandexhibitionism...butheretooareclear instancesofthenovel'stendencytotrytogetalloflifebypokingintothe crevicesandlettingthenooksandcranniespopintoview."15Inaword, Smollettisecphrastic;eachsceneisseparateandcompletewithinitself,yet contributestotheoverallsenseofthenarrative.Andperiodicallythesatire canbemorecuttingandthecharactersbetterillustratedwhenthefocusis morediffuse. Smollettpresentshisprotagonists'progressthroughasuccessionof dramaticvignettes,eachrelatedtotheotherbyathematicmoralthread. Eachhasitsowndrama,createdthroughcaricature,verbalexpression,and thespatialqualityoftheaction.Thedescriptivelanguageisactiveaswell asprecise;inJerryBeasley'swords,Smollett'sdescription"throbswith energyandfeeling."16Throughouthispicaresquenovelstheprotagonist travelsfromplacetoplace,meetinginterestingandunusualcharactersalong theway.Theancillarycharactersrarelyinfluencethelinearactionofthe novelbutserveinsteadastheoccasionforSmolletttosuspendthenarrative F i g u r e 1 . W i l l i a m H o g a r t h , M a r r i a g e a l a M o d e ( P i a t e 3 , 1 7 4 5 ) . C o u r t e s y o f t h e H u n t i n g t o n L i b r a r y . 74/CANTRELL momentarilyinordertopresentapanoramaofcharacterandincident,where wearemomentarilyallowedtoviewtheperipheryandtowitnessan expandedarenaofactionandsatire.Smollett'secphrasticscenesarenever static,andnowhereisthetechniquemoreskillfullyusedthaninhisfinal novelTheExpeditionofHumphryClinker(1771). HumphryClinkerisanepistolarynovelandborrowsmorefromthe traditionofthetravelbookthandothesustainednarrativesofSmollett's earlierpicaresquenovels.Becausethenovelcentersonthetravelsofthe Brambleparty,andespeciallyonthepeopletheymeetandtheplacesthey visit,Smollettpresentsmanyscenesoflocalcolorandcharacter.Thenovel istexturedinsuchawayastopresentwhatBeasleycalls"composite pictures"ofcharacter,scene,andaction.17Asidefromthefiveprincipal letterwriters,mostofthecharactersinHumphryClinkerappearassubjects inoneortwoletters,thatis,asfiguresinisolatedscenes,andthen,having servedtheirfunction,theydisappear.Thepictorialqualityofthenovel arisesfromtheecphrasesthatoccurwhenmembersoftheBrambleparty stoptoobservethescenesaroundthem.AlthoughtheBramblesdonot alwaysbecomeinvolvedintheaction,neitherdotheybecomestatic,a paradoxthatBeasleyhastermed"dynamicstasis."18Throughsucha techniqueSmollettcreatesanovelthatispictorialinitsunderlyingdesign. ArepresentativeepisodefromHumphryClinkermayservetoillustrate. InascenedescribedinJeryMelford'sletterofSeptember12,theBramble partystopsataScottishinnwhilewaitingfortheircarriagetoberepaired. Lookingoutthewindowtheywitnessascenethatmighteasilybedrawn fromHogarth.Anoldmanisatworkpavingastreetwhenawell-dressed strangerarrivesonhorseback.Thestrangerstops,giveshishorsetothe innkeeper,andaskstheoldmanabouthisfamily.Theoldmantellshim abouthissons,thattheeldestandyoungesthavegonetoseaandthatthe secondislockedintheprisonacrossthewayforhisfather'sdebts.While theytalk,ayoungmanextendshisheadbetweentwobarsoftheprison windowandimmediatelyrecognizesthestrangerashiselderbrother.With that,theyoungmen'smotherrunsoutofahouseadjacenttotheprisonand theyembrace.Fromthespatialarrangementofthescenetothedramatic activity,SmollettcapturesqualitiesonerecognizesfromHogarth. Acloseexaminationoftheopeningsentenceofthepassagereveals Smollett'sabilitytouseverbalindicestocreateasenseofatemporalityand spatiality: —Aswestoodatthewindowofaninnthatfrontedthepublicprison,a personarrivedonhorseback,genteelly,tho'plainly,dressedinablue frock,withhisownhaircutshort,andagold-lacedhatuponhishead.19 Theopeningclause,"aswestood,"indicatessimultaneity,andSmollett's useofthedeicticmodegivesthesceneasenseofwhatNormanBrysoncalls "relativetemporality"whichservestodrawinthereaderaspartofthe "we."20Thefollowingphrase,"atthewindow,"placesthe"we"inspace. WritingthePictureI75 Thewindowitselfservesadualpurpose:first,thereaderbecomesawareof thelocationoftheBramblepartyinthescene;second,thewindowbecomes aframefortheactionthatisabouttounfoldoutside.The"we"ofthe openingclausenowbecomesambiguous,forthereaderaspartofthe"we" witnessestheactionoutsidetheframeofthewindow,whilesimultaneously watchingtheBramblepartyastheyphysicallystandbeforeit.Inaveryfew wordsthelargersceneisorderedinspace:weseetheBrambles,thewindow frame,andthearenaoutside.Theopeningsentencethenbeginstoorder exteriorspace,orwhatwemightrefertoasthespaceoftheemptycanvas. Welearninitiallythattheinnfacesaprisonandthatapersononhorseback entersthescene.Visually,theprisonwouldoccupyalargespaceatthe centerofthecanvas,servingasbackgroundtothearrivinghorseman. AccordingtoPaulson,theeyeofaperson"reading"apicture"movesfrom thelowerleftandintothedepthofthepictureandtowardtheright."21And asJeanHagstrumhaspointedout,"Itisnotnecessarytopaintouttothe fourcornersofthe'canvas,'"torelateeverydetailofthescene,becausea minor"hintofpainterlystructure...canevokeatrainofcontrolled pictorialsensations."22Inthiscase,althoughSmollettdoesnotspecifythe directionofthehorseman'sentry,wecanreasonablyplacehimonour canvasasarrivingfromtheleft,thefirstplaceoureyewouldrest.Smollett alsopresentsabriefvisualimageofthehorseman—hehasa"bluefrock," shorthairanda"gold-lacedhat."Smolletthaschosenjustenoughdetail aboutthehorsemantoenableustovisualizehimandtodeterminehissocial statuswhilemaintaininganeconomyofwords.Alongerdescriptionwould occupyamorepurelyliteraryspace;23bykeepingthedescriptionterse Smollettfromthemomentoftheopeningclausemaintainsthepictorial impressionofsimultaneity. Detailsofthescenecontinuetounfoldasthepassageprogresses.Other charactersarriveand,sincethenovelisbynatureatemporalmedium,we viewthemastheyappear,insuccession.Evenhere,Smollettmaintains simultaneitythroughfrequentuseofgerundivestoindicateoneaction occurringconcurrentlywithanother:"Alightingandgiving,""Sosaying," "desiring,""thrusting,""bolting."24Otherverbalcuesoftemporal unfolding,suchas"Atthatinstant"and"Before,"alsocompressthe temporalsenseofthenarrative.Itisnotthattheactionunfoldsinone moment,ofcourse,butratherthatitssuccessivedimensioniscompressed intoamoodofsimultaneity.Whileit'satemporalscenethattheBrambles witness,itpresentsitselfinthespatialformofaHogarthianscene. Tovisualizethepreviousscenemorefully,let'snowreturntothecanvas webegantopaintearlier,asceneframedbythesashofthewindowthrough whichweseeintheforegroundastreetwithitshorsemanand,inthe background,aprison.Ifweweretocapturetheactionatthemomentof...