Charles XII’s arrival at Bender, one of Hogarth’s earliest etchings

A view of Charles XII being welcomed at Bender by its governor, Yusuf Pasha, etched by William Hogarth. Underneath is a plan of the environs of the city by Samuel Parker, marking his two camps outside the city walls. The Swedish king had been forced into exile at the end of the Great Northern War, settling at Bender in Moldavia. However the Swedes wore out their welcome and Charles was imprisoned. The famous satirical painter William Hogarth etched this plate for Aubry de la Motraye's 'Travels through Europe, Asia, and into Part of Africa'. At the time he was a jobbing engraver, although he had already engraved one satire: his ' Emblematical Print on the South Sea Scheme' was finished in 1721 but not widely disseminated until 1724. Earnings from engraving book illustrations such as this enabled him to fund his more personal work.