The Analysis of Beauty Written with a view of fixing the fluctuating ideas of taste

by William Hogarth

"The Analysis of Beauty" by William Hogarth is a book published in 1753 that describes theories of visual beauty accessible to common readers. Hogarth introduces his celebrated "Line of Beauty"—a serpentine S-curve that evokes liveliness and movement. He outlines six principles affecting beauty: fitness, variety, regularity, simplicity, intricacy, and quantity. Written as part of his campaign against fashionable taste, the work challenges conventional artistic wisdom and invites readers into a systematic exploration of what makes objects visually appealing.