ORIGINAL ENGRAVING from Boydell's SHAKESPEARE GALLERY: King John, Act IV (1798)

Description: JOHN BOYDELL (1719-1804) was a prosperous English engraver, a publisher of prints who became Sheriff of London and, in 1790, its Lord Mayor. In the 18th century, the popularity of Shakespeare’s plays grew by leaps and bounds. Numerous editions of the Bard’s works, beginning in 1709 with the edition published by Nicholas Rowe, appeared throughout the century. Being a erstwhile lover of Shakespeare and art….as well as being a clever entrepreneur, Boydell decided upon an audacious plan to revive the artistic spirit of his countrymen, to pay homage to William Shakespeare, and, at the same time, make some money! In 1789 he opened the BOYDELL SHAKESPEARE GALLERY, an entire building dedicated to the exhibition of new paintings based on Shakespeare’s works, which he had personally commissioned England’s foremost artists to create. Among the many eminent artists he engaged for this enormous project were Joshua Reynolds, George Romney, Benjamin West, Robert Smirke, James Northcote, and many others. The exhibition was an enormous success! But, in order to make the images from the plays more accessible…and, of course, to increase his profits, Boydell decided to publish a huge atlas portfolio volume consisting of one hundred engraved prints after the paintings already exhibited in the gallery. Many of the original paintings from the gallery have now all but vanished….but the engraved plates from Boydell’s folio remain…to reveal not only the imaginative visions of the respective artists, but also to reveal the aesthetic theories and techniques of almost every recognized artists…and engravers…of his day. The print I'm offering here is based on a painting (The Young Princes Murdered in the Tower, 1786) by James Northcote (1746-1831) that depicts a scene from Act IV, Scene i of Shakespeare's KING JOHN. It has been engraved by the noted British engraver Robert Thew (1758-1802). The British Museum has a more detailed description of the impression in their collection: "Prince Arthur kneeling to right, the paper with King John's order on the ground in front of him, clinging to Hubert's leg when faced with the executioners, who kneel to the left with a brazier and a hot iron to blind the boy, while Hubert stands with one hand on a table set with an hourglass, book, and crucifix, the other hand at his head, torn between his duty to the King and his affection for the prince; after Northcote. 1798. Stipple. Inscription content: Lettered below the image with the title, quotation and reference 'Art. O save me, Hubert.../ Hub. Give me the iron, I say, and bind him here / A prison. Arthur, Hubert & Attendants.' and 'Painted by James Northcote R.A. / Engraved by Robert Thew, Hist. Engraver to H.R.H. the P. of Wales. / Pubd. Decr. 1. 1798, by J & J Boydell, No. 90. Cheapside; & at the Shakspeare Gallery, Pall Mall." The engraving is in good condition: a bold, dark impression. See photos. The image measures 22 1/4 inches x 16 inches; the sheet measures 25 inches x 18 3/4 inches. BECAUSE OF ITS SIZE, THIS WILL BE MAILED GENTLY ROLLED IN A TUBE. Free shipping in the U.S. Outside the U.S. I use the E-Bay Global Shipping Program for my prints...so if you win one you will not receive an invoice from me but one directly from E-Bay, which is solely responsible for the added foreign charges (customs) and shipping. Buyers outside the U.S. please be aware of these added fees before bidding. In my original listing of this etching I said it would be mailed flat.....but because of its size THIS WILL BE MAILED GENTLY ROLLED IN A TUBE.

Price: 150 USD

Location: Saint Louis, Missouri

End Time: 2025-01-12T19:11:31.000Z

Shipping Cost: 0 USD