Back in 1751, English artist William Hogarth published twin prints, Gin Lane and Beer Street, to depict the ‘evils’ of gin drinking compared to the benefits of beer.
Cut to 2022. the Indian gin brand Greater Than launched Greater Lane, a special project inspired by William Hogarth’s paintings Beer Street and Gin Lane. The project involved five artists with distinctive styles giving their modern interpretations of Hogarth’s Gin Lane .
The paintings by William Hogarth depicted the evils of the consumption of gin in contrast to the merits of drinking beer, as many were unaware at the time. While Beer Street was shown thriving in good spirits and abundance, Gin Lane was populated by death, despair, and madness to encourage the English to denounce gin (believed to be the sole cause of immorality in society). These artworks were part reality and part propaganda.
