It's All in the Detail - A Rake's Progress (Scene 2)

The Levee

I had to read a little around this one. In the second picture, we follow Tom as he has moved to more upscale lodgings with the intention of living like a king. In accordance to this, he is holding what is known as a "levee". A royal custom later adopted by the aristocracy, this was a formal reception held immediately after waking up (typically late in the morning). With this in mind, Tom is identifiable from his nightcap, indicating that he has only just got up to hold this reception.

Going from left to right, Tom's entourage includes:

• A harpsichord player reading from an opera called "The Rape of the Sabines", an event in Roman mythology which was depicted by many Renaissance-era painters
• The Wikipedia page claims that the harpsichord player is meant to be the composer George Frederic Handel, but I don't know how this is established. There aren't any references to any operas under that title being attributed to him
• A fencing master, indicated by the foil he's wielding
• A second trainer, carrying two quarterstaffs and looking disdainfully at the fencing master
• A effeminate-looking man with a violin, implied from his posture to be a dance teacher
• A landscape designer, indicated by the garden plan in his hands
• An ex-soldier offering to be a bodyguard (Tom seems to be asking him about the letter of introduction in his hands)
• A jockey with a trophy, who seems to be asking for sponsorship
• A bugler, presumably from a fox-hunting club

Draped on the harpsichord player's chair is a list of items Tom has purchased, indicating that he is a spendthrift in contrast to his miserly father.

The paintings on the wall show two roosters, which are believed to be associated with cockfighting. I believe this implies that while Tom is seeking to emulate the nobility, he is still an outsider. In-between them is a lewd painting depicting The Judgement of Paris (It's hard to see, but one of the women is meant to be Athena). This event in classical mythology would eventually lead to the fall of Troy, so it could be said that its presence in the painting is foreshadowing Tom's inevitable downfall.

Finally, this painting reveals Tom's surname as Rakewell (shown on the bill and a poem on the floor).