Opening in June, Sir John Soane’s Museum presents Visions in Porcelain: A Rake’s Progress, a set of eight newly made vases inspired by William Hogarth’s series, A Rakes Progress. Created by London-based, Dutch artist Bouke de Vries, the eight ceramic vases will be showcased in the Foyle Space and will mirror the eight paintings in Hogarth’s famous work, housed in the Soane Museum’s celebrated Picture Room.

Hogarth’s A Rake’s Progress follows the swift demise of Tom Rakewell, the heir of a rich merchant who squanders his inherited wealth, leading to his ruin and ultimately, madness. Visions in Porcelain begins with an immaculate celadon vase, representing the promise of Hogarth’s youthful subject. De Vries proceeds to explore the painting’s inherent theme of degradation through the ever-darkening palate of increasingly fractured vases. The result is a succession of cracked, slumped and eventually imploding vessels whose compromised state can not be prevented, even through the artful employment of the artist’s increasingly drastic methods of restoration.

Throughout his career, de Vries has explored the themes of fragility and deconstructed beauty. Having trained as a restorer, he is known for working with broken historical pieces, expanding them to carefully ‘exploded’ assemblages.

A specially commissioned film will accompany the exhibition. This film will feature insights from the Soane’s curatorial team into the connections between de Vries’ work and Hogarth’s series, as well as an interview with the artist and independent curator and writer Kathleen Soriano.

Visions in Porcelain: A Rake’s Progress will open alongside Architects’ Houses, celebrating five London houses, all of which, like the Soane Museum, have been designed by the architects who lived – and in some cases still live – in them. The featured houses are designed by five major figures from the history of British Architecture.

Bouke de Vries said: “I first visited the Sir John Soane’s Museum almost 40 years ago and have long been inspired by the works of Hogarth. A Rake’s Progress is a captivating series and appeals to me due to its satirical and dark narrative. It has been a pleasure to reimagine this tale of woe in porcelain, displaying it only feet away from Hogarth’s original paintings.”

Bruce Boucher, Deborah Loeb Brice Director of Sir John Soane’s Museum, said “Hogarth’s A Rake’s Progress has long been a focal point of the collection of Sir John Soane’s Museum. By presenting Hogarth’s narrative through his handsomely designed celadon vases, Bouke de Vries brings new perspectives and interpretation to this historic series. To see the work continue to inspire artists today goes to the heart of what John Soane envisaged for his collection.”