The Works of
Shakespear
Oxford: Printed at the Theatre, 1744.
Edited by Sir Thomas Hanmer, this 6 volume edition
includes a preface by Alexander Pope. Thirty one of the
plates in this edition are by Francis Hayman (1708-1776),
and the remaining five are by Hubert Gravelot (1699-1773).
All are engraved by Gravelot, who also executed the tail-pieces.
This was an important edition, blending Gravelot's more rococo
French style with Hayman's English style. Shown here is a plate
titled The Life and Death of Richard III, illustration by
Hubert Gravelot.
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| Sir Thomas Hanmer retained a great deal of
control over the illustrations for this edition, although not all
of the illustrations follow his directions. The contract between
Hanmer and Francis Hayman begins, "The said Francis Hayman is to
design and delineate a drawing to be prefix'd to each Play of
Shakespear taking the subject of such scenes as Sr Thomas Hanmer
shall direct ...". Not all drawings Hayman did met with Hanmer's
approval. He wrote to Hayman, "I return you the three projects
you sent me for Drawings, upon which I take it to be my business
to criticise that you may reconsider and improve upon them."
Below is Hanmer's recommendation for the illustration for
Love's Labours Lost which is shown here.
Love's Labours Lost, illustration by Francis
Hayman "A pleasant Countrey with a rich tent appearing at a
little distance either in whole or in part. The french Princess
with the three Ladies who accompany her. To them enter Boyet a
french Gentleman as in hast and in a merry laughing mood. He
points backward as giving them intelligence of the King and his
company coming in a ridiculous disguise."
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The Plays of William Shakespeare
From the corrected text of Johnson and Steevens.
London: Printed for John Stockdale, 1807.
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| The plates in this 6 volume set are from the
Boydell Shakespeare Gallery.Shown here illustrating a
scene from The Tempest is the work of Matthew
William Peters (1741-1814); his five paintings for the
Gallery were very popular at the time. |
This illustration from King
Lear is from a painting by Robert Smirke
(1752-1845). Smirke was one of the major contributors to the
Boydell Shakespeare Gallery, contributing 26 pictures. |
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| From King Henry VI, "The Death of
Cardinal Beaufort" by Sir Joshua Reynolds (1723-1792) was
considered the finest painting in the Gallery, and Reynold's best
work. |
This scene from Antony and Cleopatra is by
Henry Tresham. |
William Hamilton did this scene from Richard
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The Dramatic Works of William
Shakspeare
Chiswick: Printed by C. Whittingham, 1823
The illustrations in this volume were all done by John
Thurston (1774-1822).
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Hamlet
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King Lear
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The Tempest
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Midsummer Night's Dream
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The Works of Shakespere
Revised from the best authorities: with a memoir, and essay on
his genius, by Barry Cornwall: also, annotations and introductory
remarks on the plays, by many distinguished writers.
London: Robert Tyas, 1843.
Illustrated with wood engravings from designs by Kenny
Meadows (1790-1874). This is the first edition to seriously
attempt to integrate the text and the illustrations on the
page.
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Macbeth
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Hamlet
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The American Edition of Boydell's
Illustrations of the Dramatic Works of Shakespeare
New York: Restored and published with original descriptions of
the plates by Shearjashub Spooner, 1852.
This two volume set contains the prints from the Boydell
Shakespeare gallery. Shown here if a plate by Henry (Johann
Heinrich) Fuseli for Midsummer Night's
Dream.
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The Works of Shakspere
Imperial edition
New York: Virtue & Yorston, [1875-1876]
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| Charles Knight edited this 2
volume set, with "Illustrations on steel" by a variety of
artists. Shown here is an illustration from Hamlet
done by British artist Daniel Maclise (1806-1870). |
This plate from Macbeth is by
A. Johnston. |
Ophelia, by Arthur Hughes
(1832-1915).
Hughes often used circles and semi-circles for his
illustrations. |
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