Beer Street, 1751

Beer Street is a print issued in 1751 by English artist Willam Hogarth and was designed to be viewed alongside Gin Lane in support of what would become the Gin Act of 1751, through which the number of gin shops was greatly reduced.

The prints were designed to highlight the problems relating to drinking gin and to encourage the viewer to choose weaker English beer, which was believed to cause less social problems.  Beer Street was an image demonstrating Hogarth's pride in his country and shows an idyllic image of England without foreign influences.

In Beer Street those drinking are happy, healthy and business on the street is booming.  Only the pawnbroker is skulking around and hiding from the debt collectors.  Quite the reverse is shown in Gin Lane where Hogarth illustrates the evils of gin consumption with the shocking deterioration of morals.

This print is produced on St Cuthbert's Mill special acid free archival artboard.  The overall loose print size is 24cm x 33cm.  The framed print is presented in 20mm black wood archivist moulding, complete with rope hanger over hardboard back and a cream board mount.  The overall size of the framed print is 33cm x 43cm.