1-192-393 - © London Museum/Heritage-Images

'Masquerade Ticket', 18th century. A masked ball with people gathered together in a hall. The hands of the clock at the top are entitled Wit and Impertinence. The pendulum is entitled Nonsense. A unicorn and a lion lean against the sides of the clock rather than standing proudly either side of it as they traditionally do. On the right is a classical statue of a woman and a cherub aiming its arrow at the people. On the left the figure of Time carrying his scythe reaches for an antler on an altar. As he does so a man behind him grabs hold of his wing and wields an axe, and a figure in front of him stabs; the blood from the wound being collected in a bowl. Hogarth was one of many who believed that such masquerades were contributing to the degradation of people's tastes and morals.