By the end of the eighteenth century there were approximately 20.000 black people in Britain who shared the same scenario of aristocrats but who were part only of its background. The presence of black characters in Hogarth’s work casts light on this group serving a twofold purpose: if, on the one hand, it shows how significant their presence was amongst British society throughout the Empire, on the other, it is a way of showing a society of contrasts and opposite realities. Criticizing the morals of the “noveau riche” aristocracy was one of Hogarth’s main intentions which he could achieve by exposing the way blacks were treated. From prostitutes to thieves or entertainers, their presence is suggested in many of his prints. This paper aims at reflecting on the role black characters assumed in some of Hogarth’s works such as