The Restoration of
Hogarth’s A Rake’s Progress:
Help Us Make This Extraordinary Project A Success!
Join us in a once-in-a-generation project: the conservation of William Hogarth’s A Rake’s Progress, a cornerstone of Sir John Soane’s Museum collection. An icon of English cultural history, this 18th-century series of eight paintings has hung in Soane’s Picture Room since 1824, inspiring generations of visitors, architects, designers, and artists, including Igor Stravinsky and David Hockney.
The restoration coincides with the 200th anniversary of the Picture Room, home to 118 works from Soane’s personal collection. Over a three-year period, expert conservators will carefully assess and restore each painting in collaboration with the National Gallery in London and Factum Arte. Their work will not only preserve the integrity of the paintings but also help the Museum expand public access through digital content, educational programs, and new research.
With your support, the Soane Foundation can adopt one of the paintings and contribute directly to this important effort. Your generosity will help secure A Rake’s Progress for future generations and ensure that Hogarth’s powerful social satire continues to inspire audiences around the world. Please consider making a donation today. Every gift brings us closer to our goal. Thank you for helping us make this possible.
Impact and Outcomes
Upon completion, the paintings will return to their original places in the Soane Museum’s Picture Room on the celebrated moving planes, now protected within a carefully climate-controlled environment. The Museum is collaborating with the National Gallery, Factum Arte, and a team of expert conservators. Together, they will present a public exhibition about the restoration, publish a new monograph on Hogarth and his techniques, and host an academic symposium.
The Museum is also producing a documentary about the restoration with award-winning BBC filmmaker Jonathan Crane, along with a series of social media videos capturing key moments in the project. The film will include insights from conservators and art historians exploring the history, meaning, and continuing influence of A Rake’s Progress, and will feature commentary from satirist and journalist Ian Hislop, Turner Prize-winning artist and curator Lubaina Himid, and actress Dame Joanna Lumley.
The Museum has commissioned Factum Arte to create 3D scans of the paintings and a set of high-quality reproductions to support a new education program. This expanded approach reflects the Soane Museum’s commitment to engaging a wider audience online and sharing the story of this remarkable project with as many people as possible.