Portrait of Sarah Malcolm in Prison
1733 National Gallery of Scotland
About this artwork
This painting depicts Sarah Malcolm, a notorious English murderess, in Newgate Prison shortly before her execution in 1733. She is shown seated at a table with a rosary, reflecting her supposed repentance.
Did you know?
Sarah Malcolm was a real-life figure, a laundress executed in 1733 for the murder of her employer and two others. William Hogarth visited her in Newgate Prison and painted her portrait, capturing a moment of supposed piety before her death. This work is one of several popular prints and paintings depicting her, capitalizing on public fascination with sensational crimes of the era.
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Portrait of Sarah Malcolm in Prison
William Hogarth, 1733
