1-192-398 - © London Museum/Heritage-Images

'Analysis of Beauty Plate II', 1753. Couples dancing in a great hall, decorated with portraits, including one of Henry VIII. In the left corner is a pile of the gentlemen's hats. In the right corner a man points to his watch and looks up at a woman as a servant tries to fasten his leg dress. The woman looks back disdainfully. The border is full of small drawings of flowers, curves, scrolls, fingers, bones, and a girl's face gradually ageing. Hogarth is showing his belief that the inherent beauty and grace of a curved line can also be found in dancing, in particular the minuet and country dance.