Hamlet and the Queen (Act III scene iv
1864
This intense sketch by Eugène Delacroix captures the dramatic climax of Act III, Scene IV from Shakespeare's Hamlet. The young prince sits close to his mother, Queen Gertrude, his body language tense and accusing as he confronts her about her hasty marriage to his uncle. Notice the heavy drapery in the background—behind that curtain hides Polonius, whom Hamlet is about to accidentally kill! Delacroix, a giant of the Romantic movement, was famously obsessed with Shakespeare and produced a series of lithographs illustrating the play to capture its raw emotion. The signature in the top right corner dates this study to 1834, showing his early fascination with the Bard's tragic heroes.
- Technique
- Lithograph
Views: 3