Illustrated Shakespeare

Through the ages, Shakespeare has been visualized by many painters and illustrators, engravers, etc. This thread will be dedicated to showing this visual side of Shakespeare. It is interesting to note how different artists interpreted the various scenes in the Shakespeare's plays and poetry.

I will start with one of my favorites artist/illustrators - first:

Arthur Rackham

He was well-known for his illustrations for “A Midsummer Night’s Dream” and his beautiful and intricate children‘s illustrations:

You can read a brief biography in the companion to this thread “The Magical World of Children's Illustration” on this forum:

http://www.online-literature.com/for...ad.php?t=39013 (post #5)

Here is some of his work illustrating "A Midsummer Night's Dream"

Fairies Away
http://i125.photobucket.com/albums/p...airiesAway.jpg

Titania-Sleeping
http://i125.photobucket.com/albums/p...a-Sleeping.jpg

Fairies Sing
http://i125.photobucket.com/albums/p...esSingMSND.jpg


Titania Sleeps - second version
http://i125.photobucket.com/albums/p...aniaSleeps.jpg

I am the very wanderer of the night
http://i125.photobucket.com/albums/p...ofthenight.jpg

Fairies
http://i125.photobucket.com/albums/p...esArthurRa.jpg

Puck
http://i125.photobucket.com/albums/p...reambyArth.jpg

Titania - second version
http://i125.photobucket.com/albums/p...htsDream-1.jpg

FairHelena
http://i125.photobucket.com/albums/p...ghtsDream1.jpg

I love this last one particularly.

I love the Tempest, here are some images I really like of the play I found, by Paul Woodroffe

http://spiritoftheages.com/While%20y...ring%20lie.jpg

http://spiritoftheages.com/Come,%20h...his%20line.jpg

http://spiritoftheages.com/On%20the%20topmast%20....jpg

http://spiritoftheages.com/Woodro1.....ral%20made.jpg

http://spiritoftheages.com/Ariel%20as%20a%20Harpy.jpg
I love this one

Another of my favorites is:

Edmund Dulac
from Wikipedia:
Edmund Dulac (born Edmond Dulac, October 22, 1882 – May 25, 1953[1]) was a French book illustrator prominent during the so called "Golden Age of Illustration" (the first quarter or so of the twentieth century).

to find out more about the illustrator's life please see this link: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Edmund_Dulac


Here are some of Dulac's illustrations for "The Tempest"

Ariel in a Tree

http://i125.photobucket.com/albums/p...Tree_Dulac.jpg

Ariel and the Bee

http://i125.photobucket.com/albums/p...eBee_Dulac.jpg

Prospero

http://i125.photobucket.com/albums/p...pest_Dulac.jpg

Elves and Fairies

http://i125.photobucket.com/albums/p...pest_Dulac.jpg

Dark Muse, How funny and strange - we were posting the same time and the same play! only different illustrators. I guess 'brilliant minds think alike'. I love the ones you just posted. Those are sooo beautiful. I did see that second one when I was cruising around tonight checking out the site you told me about.

LOL or in the words of an old frined of mine. Great minds think alike, but then again so do ours.

Quote:

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Originally Posted by Dark Muse

LOL or in the words of an old frined of mine. Great minds think alike, but then again so do ours.

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Haha - that is a good one!

I can't seem to leave this stuff alone tonight. I need to call it quits and go to bed. I can't resist posting one more bit.

Some more delightful illustrations by Rackham from "Midsummer Night's Dream"

Monotone Illustration

http://i125.photobucket.com/albums/p...rationMSND.jpg


I will sing that they shall hear I am not afraid...
http://i125.photobucket.com/albums/p...rIamnotafr.jpg

How now spirit whither wander you?
http://i125.photobucket.com/albums/p...eryou_MSND.jpg

Enter Pease blossom, Cobweb, Moth,and Mustardseed
http://i125.photobucket.com/albums/p...thandMusta.jpg

Changling
http://i125.photobucket.com/albums/p...hangeling2.jpg

Drowned Ophelia:

http://i381.photobucket.com/albums/o...j1/ophelia.jpg

Ophelia

http://www.english.emory.edu/classes...ds.Ophelia.jpg
John Everett Millais

http://emsworth.files.wordpress.com/...helia-1910.jpg
Waterhouse

http://www.illusionsgallery.com/Ophe...terhouse-L.jpg
Waterhouse

http://www.illusionsgallery.com/Ophelia-AH-L.jpg
Arthur Huges

http://www.ibiblio.org/wm/paint/auth...se/ophelia.jpg
Waterhouse

http://bp2.blogger.com/_qRExF1DnDMY/...est+Hebert.jpg
Auguste Ernest Hebert

http://www.illusionsgallery.com/Ophelia-PS-L.jpg
Pault Steck

http://library.thinkquest.org/J00342...il.Ophelia.jpg
O'Neil

http://www.fineartprintsondemand.com...phelia-400.jpg
Delacroix

Fabulous! - mayneverhave and Dark Muse. I love that first one -the one with the curved top edge; thanks mayneverhave.....and I knew that you, DM,would would come through with many 'Ophelias' which you posted in the social group 'Pre-Raphaelite'. I don't recall seeing this one by Pault Steck or the O'Neil; I will have to further check out his work. They are all really great. I like the underwater one very much. I think I can come up with some more Ophelias tonight.

Yes it is true the O'Neil and the Steck were not included in the Pre-Raphalite group, just a couple of extras I found and liked for this thread.

Quote:

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Originally Posted by Dark Muse

Yes it is true the O'Neil and the Steck were not included in the Pre-Raphalite group, just a couple of extras I found and liked for this thread.

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True, nor the Delacroix, that was much earlier, right?

No, I did not include the Delacroix either, the Delacroix was 1853

Here are some more Ophelias....

'Ophelia' from "Hamlet" by different artists - interesting to see how each imagined her, isnt' it?

Sant - oil on canvas oval
http://i125.photobucket.com/albums/p...iloncanvas.jpg

Rihcarde Westall - 1802
http://i125.photobucket.com/albums/p...phelia1802.jpg

Richard Dadd (The Closet Scene) - 1840
http://i125.photobucket.com/albums/p...nefrom1840.jpg

Marcus Stone - 1888
http://i125.photobucket.com/albums/p...phelia1888.jpg

Joseph Severn - 1831
http://i125.photobucket.com/albums/p...phelia1831.jpg

Jean Baptiste Bertrand
http://i125.photobucket.com/albums/p...nd_Ophelia.jpg

Henrietta Rae - 1901
http://i125.photobucket.com/albums/p...phelia1901.jpg

Henrietta Rae -1890
http://i125.photobucket.com/albums/p...phelia1890.jpg

Benjamin West -1802
http://i125.photobucket.com/albums/p...phelia1802.jpg

Arthur Hughes - 1852
http://i125.photobucket.com/albums/p...phelia1852.jpg

George Frederic Watts - 1864
http://i125.photobucket.com/albums/p...phelia1864.jpg

Francis Danby 'Disappointed Love' - 1821 (not actually painted to represent Ophelia but often mistaken for her)
http://i125.photobucket.com/albums/p...ove1821not.jpg

Here are some interesting visions of Lord Hamlet

Sir Thomas Lawrence - J.P.Kemble as Hamlet
http://i125.photobucket.com/albums/p...asHamlet18.jpg

Philip H.Calder - The Young Lord Hamlet
http://i125.photobucket.com/albums/p...rdHamlet18.jpg
"
Charles Hunt - "Hamlet" - The Play Scene I
http://i125.photobucket.com/albums/p...PlayScenei.jpg

I thought this Hamlet book cover was interesting
http://i125.photobucket.com/albums/p...amletCover.jpg

Edwin Austin Abbey - Hamlet 1897
http://i125.photobucket.com/albums/p...Hamlet1897.jpg

Romeo and Juliet

http://www.hberlioz.com/paintings/painti4.jpg
Ford Madox Brown (1821-1893)

http://www.hberlioz.com/paintings/painti5.jpg
Frank Dicksee (1853-1928)

http://www.hberlioz.com/paintings/RJ.jpg
unknown

http://www.hberlioz.com/paintings/Juliet.jpg
John Pettie (1839-1893)

http://www.hberlioz.com/paintings/painti6.jpg
Fredrick Lord Leighton (1830-1896)

Dark Muse, those are terrific. I actually bought that first one, awhile back, in the form of a note card - I just loved the brilliance of the colors and the drama - caught my eye. I have the last one in my offline art file, but had not seen the others you posted; or don't believe I did.

I will add some more soon to this thread as soon as I get them uploaded to Photobucket. Kind of tired today; stayed up late last night; glued to the TV news and paying for it today.

Here are some more - not sure of the artist for the black and white ones; sorry about that:

"Henry IV" - Hotspur and his wife
http://i125.photobucket.com/albums/p...and-His-Wi.jpg

"The Merchant of Venice" - Bassinio
http://i125.photobucket.com/albums/p...enice-Bass.jpg

"Macbeth" - Lady Macbeth 'Sleep'
http://i125.photobucket.com/albums/p...eth-Sleep-.jpg

"Henry IV" - Falstaff and the Prince
http://i125.photobucket.com/albums/p...-and-Princ.jpg

"The Winter's Tale" - Leontes
http://i125.photobucket.com/albums/p...-Leontes-N.jpg

"Much Ado About Nothing" - Beatrice
http://i125.photobucket.com/albums/p...thing-Beat.jpg

"Macbeth" - He alone sees
http://i125.photobucket.com/albums/p...Sees-Banqu.jpg

Edward Robert Hughes 1851-1914 - from "A Midsummer Night's Dream"
http://i125.photobucket.com/albums/p...14_Midsumm.jpg

This book looks interesting.
http://i125.photobucket.com/albums/p...llustrated.jpg

Here are some more from the Tempest

http://www.hberlioz.com/paintings/tempest1.jpg
James Henry Nixon (c.1803-1850)

http://www.hberlioz.com/paintings/painti10.jpg
Frederick Goodall (1822-1904)

http://www.hberlioz.com/paintings/painti8.jpg
John W Waterhouse (1849-1917)

Dark Muse, I love those; especially the first one - bathed in that glowing orange light - amazing.

Yes the first one is quite cool.

I think one of my favorite fantasy artists was inspired by the last one. The image looks similar to one of the works he has done.

Dark Muse, I see you are still up...we two are always up late. Anyway, I was just thinking that I lost track now of what I have posted. I will have to think or review the threads. I have more illustrators for all three. Hope you can continue to contribute. I like the ones you posted - they all were great!

hehe it is not that late over here yet.

It is 12:54AM here...what time is it there? You have the advantage on me.

Right now it is 10:51 here

Now it is 2:08 AM and I should be in bed, but instead watching some podcasts. I get kind of addicted on here, to say the least. I better get to bed and read some of my book.

Wow, getting behind with this thread. I will have to find something to post here. I know the net will offer up some great pictures, if I go hunting for them.

Here are a couple by Frank Cadogan Cowper

Hamlet

http://www.artmagick.com/images/cont...d/cowper16.jpg

A Midsummer Night's Dream

http://www.artmagick.com/images/cont...d/cowper12.jpg

Dark Muse, I like this artist's work very much...Frank Cadogan Cowper; another I had not heard of before. So is that Hamlet shown in the cloak, above? I have never seen him depicted that way - that is truly unique, and he looking up into the heavens, holding the skull.
This Ophelia is truly beautiful, with the purple flowers around her. Her dress looks like butterfly wings...interesting.

Yes, that is suppose to be Hamlet in the black with the skull.

The name of the painting is Hamlet: The Churchyard Scene

Once again, I never knew that there were illustrations dedicated to literature and its great to discover that there are. I am liking the Hamlet painting, it takes me directly back to english classes where Hamlet mummbles "alas, poor yorick." Thanks for the picture darkmuse.

Quote:

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Originally Posted by skasian

Once again, I never knew that there were illustrations dedicated to literature and its great to discover that there are. I am liking the Hamlet painting, it takes me directly back to english classes where Hamlet mummbles "alas, poor yorick." Thanks for the picture darkmuse.

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Yes, skasian, and that is one of my favorite scenes. I know that scene so well. I have this thing for "Hamlet". I own about 5 versions on film and I also have it on CD set (audio). I have viewed the full-length version by Kenneth Branagh of "Hamlet", about 25 times, so far. I am due for another showing soon.

Yes, there are tons of illustrations out there; it is truly endless. I studied to be an illustrator in college, so I knew about some of these; but lately, I have been discovering so many new names. Dark Muse is good at digging up some of these new ones; perhaps more obscure artists; I am grateful to her -she has added greatly to this thread and the others.

I love Hamlet too! I studied it at school in english last year, and while most of my classmates thought Shakespeare was dull and irrelevant to the present, I was just fascinated by it. It really looks like you do have a thing for Hamlet, 25times and growing, I have nothing to say.:lol:

Yes, Dark muse is really good at finding works that I have never seen in my life. I hope that I will give at least some benefits to these threads by uploading more pictures.:)

Quote:

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Originally Posted by skasian

I love Hamlet too! I studied it at school in english last year, and while most of my classmates thought Shakespeare was dull and irrelevant to the present, I was just fascinated by it. It really looks like you do have a thing for Hamlet, 25times and growing, I have nothing to say.:lol:

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skasian, I seem to be following you around today...haha.

Don't let your classmates sway you; they are dead wrong. Shakespeare is wonderful and 'timeless'. The plays have many modern themes - suspense, mystery, passion, intrigue, love, hate, desire, humor, etc....well, you get the idea. Glad to know that you love "Hamlet," too. The play never ceases to make me wonder and ponder deeply. I think it is very complex and Hamlet is very multi-layered. I love to see it perfomed - so much going on behind those eyes. I do definitely have a thing for "Hamlet" - I keep going back to it, more than the other plays. It is a great fascination in his character; an intense role also, in that he appears in nearly all the scenes. Not easy to play such a demanding part. One has to be really good to approach the role. I greatly admire all actors who play "Hamlet" successfully.

Quote:

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Yes, Dark muse is really good at finding works that I have never seen in my life. I hope that I will give at least some benefits to these threads by uploading more pictures.:)

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Yes, she has kept this thread and the others going. Thanks, DM!:thumbs_up

Whatever you can contribute will be just great.

Even though I hated this play



http://www.artmagick.com/images/cont.../hughes_e8.jpg

The Taming of the Shrew by Edward Robert Hughes

Quote:

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Originally Posted by Dark Muse

Even though I hated this play

The Taming of the Shrew by Edward Robert Hughes

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That's not my favorite play of Shakespeare's either; but recently, I saw the new retold version and laughed my head off. Check it out on Youtube. The guy makes a fool of himself and the woman does get the upper hand. It's so funny and besides, Rufus Sewell is really nice to look at; very sexy man. I bought the whole set recently - funny stuff.

Anyway, that red is really intense; love the painting! Glad we are reviving these threads. I must post some myself.

Roselind from As You Like It by Sir John Everett Millais

http://www.artmagick.com/images/cont...d/millais2.jpg

There is an application that is going to come out on the AppStore. Its an e-comic of a midsummer night's dream. I saw a preview of it the other day... looks pretty cool!