Why was the Foundling Hospital exhibition important to the history of English art?

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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.

The exhibition at the Foundling Hospital was a landmark event in the history of English art because it represented the first public exhibition of contemporary art in the country.1

In 1745, William Hogarth persuaded a group of fellow artists to contribute their works to decorate the institution, which had been established by his friend, the philanthropist Captain Thomas Coram. This cooperative effort was significant as it served as a vital step toward the eventual foundation of the Royal Academy in 1768. By placing works like his portrait of Coram on semipublic display, Hogarth helped shift the landscape of artistic patronage and exhibition in England.1