‘Lear in the Storm,’ King Lear, Act III, Scene II
George Romney was absolutely obsessed with Shakespeare's King Lear, producing over a hundred sketches of the mad king raging against the elements. This frantic, scratchy drawing captures Lear's sheer terror as the wind whips his hair and beard into a wild frenzy, his mouth agape in a silent scream. Romney never actually finished a grand painting of this scene, leaving us with these raw, emotional studies that feel surprisingly modern in their expressive energy, almost like a storyboard for a dramatic film.
Views: 3