Why did William Hogarth seek copyright protection for engravings?

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The Painter and His Pug, self-portrait by William Hogarth, oil on canvas, 1745; in the Tate Gallery, London. — William Hogarth *The Painter and His Pug*, self-portrait by William Hogarth, oil on canvas, 1745; in the Tate Gallery, London.

William Hogarth sought copyright protection for his engravings primarily to safeguard his livelihood from the unauthorized production of pirated editions. Because his work was highly popular, he faced significant competition from imitators who sought to profit from his designs.12

To secure his financial and artistic independence, Hogarth campaigned for legislation that would protect an artist's copyright. He notably withheld the release of his eight-part series, A Rake’s Progress, until the successful passage of this legislation in 1735. This law, which became known as the Hogarth Act, established the first copyright protections for engraving in England.12