Five Orders of Periwigs

Second, in classifying the wigs into "orders", it satirises the formulation of canons of beauty from the analysis of surviving pieces of classical architecture and sculpture from ancient Greece and ancient Rome, particularly the classical remains at Athens, Rome, Baalbek, and Palmyra, and the precise architectural drawings of James "Athenian" Stuart (published in the Antiquities of Athens, the first volume of which appeared in 1762).Of the engraving, Hogarth himself commented in his book of anecdotes: There is no great difficulty in measuring the length, breadth, or height of any figures, where the parts are made up of plain lines.It requires no more skill to take the dimensions of a pillar or cornice, than to measure a square box, and yet the man who does the latter is neglected, and he who accomplishes the former, is considered as a miracle of genius; but I suppose he receives his honours for the distance he has travelled to do his business.As a parallel to the five orders of classical architecture identified by Palladio (Doric, Ionic, Corinthian, Composite and Tuscan), the engraving postulates five "orders" of periwig, from the relatively simple "Episcopal" (for the clergy), through the "Old Peerian or Aldermanic" (for lords and council officials) and "Lexonic" (for lawyers) to the more ornate "Composite or Half Natural", and finally the effete "Queerinthian or Queue de Reynard" (a pun on the French for "foxtail").The component parts of each wig are labelled with letters A to I, each denoting a mock architectural term, from A: the "Corona or Lermier or Foretop" and B: the "Architrave or Archivolt or Caul" to H: "Fillet or Ribbon" and I: "Helices or Volute or Spiral or Curl".Above, a line of female profiles shows, from left to right, the face of Queen Charlotte and five others, each wearing a triple necklace and bearing a coronet: a duchess, a marchioness, a countess, a viscountess, and a baroness.
The Five Orders of Perriwigs as they were Worn at the Late Coronation Measured Architectonically , William Hogarth , 1761.
William Hogarthsatirelampoonsclassical architecturesculptureancient Greeceancient RomeAthensBaalbekPalmyraJames "Athenian" Stuartfive ordersPalladioCorinthianCompositeTuscanReynardWilliam WarburtonBishop of GloucesterSamuel SquireBishop of St David'sLord MelcombeSir Samuel Fludyer, 1st BaronetLord Mayor of LondonQueen CharlottecoronetduchessmarchionesscountessviscountessbaronessLadies of the BedchamberDuchess of AncasterDuchess of HamiltonCountess of EffinghamCountess of NorthumberlandViscountess WeymouthViscountess BolingbrokecoronationGeorge IIIHorace WalpoleList of works by William HogarthList of worksEmblematical Print on the South Sea SchemeThe Bad Taste of the TownA Just View of the British StageBefore and AfterThe Company of UndertakersStrolling Actresses Dressing in a BarnThe Distrest PoetThe Enraged MusicianCharacters and CaricaturasIndustry and IdlenessBeer Street and Gin LaneThe Four Stages of CrueltyColumbus Breaking the EggSatire on False PerspectiveCredulity, Superstition, and FanaticismJohn Wilkes Esq.The Assembly at Wanstead HouseA Harlot's ProgressA Rake's ProgressSouthwark FairScene from Shakespeare's The TempestFour Times of the DayThe Shrimp GirlPortrait of Captain Thomas CoramTaste in High LifeThe Graham ChildrenCaptain Lord George Graham in his CabinDavid Garrick as Richard IIIPainter and his PugThe Gate of CalaisHogarth's ServantsThe March of the Guards to FinchleyHumours of an ElectionSealing the TombHogarth Painting the Comic MuseThe BenchThe Lady's Last StakeSigismunda mourning over the Heart of GuiscardoMarriage A-la-ModeThe Analysis of BeautyLine of beautyHogarth's HouseSarah MalcolmHogarth ClubMary Edwards (Patron)