The Bard’s plays in pictures Shakespeare in the Baillieu Library Print Collection Callum Reid

On 19 October 1741, David Garrick donned the costume of Richard III for his first Shakespearean performance in . Roughly four years later, when painted him in this eponymous role, Garrick (1717–1779) had become one of the most popular stage actors in Britain, each performance enhancing his fame, and stimulating a taste for all things Shakespeare. Hogarth’s painting, Mr. Garrick in the character of Richard the III D, gained a significant reputation through the second half of the 18th century; as Garrick’s popularity rose, the scene was widely disseminated through based on the painting—some produced under Hogarth’s supervision, others created independently (illustrated right).1 that can be explored through the the first to garnish the complete The scene is set mid-performance, Baillieu Library Print Collection works with illustrations, following as King Richard wakes from a dream at the University of Melbourne: Nicholas Rowe’s 1709 Works of in which he is visited by the ghosts illustrated scenes from Shakespeare, Mr. William Shakespear: In six volumes. of his murdered rivals. Shakespeare portraits of Shakespearean actors, Adorn’d with cuts.4 Illustrations for scholar Stuart Sillars observes that and the engraved volumes from the Theobald’s volumes were lavishly ‘this is the one point in the play where Boydell Shakespeare Gallery. designed by French engraver Hubert- time is suspended, since just for an A turning point in the history François Bourguignon, known as instant Richard thinks he is in one of illustrations based on the Bard’s ‘Gravelot’, and realised by Gerard place but in reality is in another’.2 works occurred a year before Garrick Vandergucht, a Flemish engraver The work was particularly unusual first played the role of Richard III. born in London. Among the Baillieu for the time, as it could be interpreted In 1740 the publication of the second Library Print Collection’s holdings as both a portrait and as a history edition of Lewis Theobald’s Works of illustrations from this volume is painting. I chose it to introduce this of Shakespeare brought the text into the frontispiece for The tempest (see essay as it fits into three important a distinctly contemporaneous visual p. 42).5 Rather than illustrating the aspects of Shakespearean print culture setting.3 These volumes were among eponymous storm that adorned earlier

Callum Reid, ‘The Bard’s plays in pictures’ 41 Previous page: Unknown printmaker, after William Hogarth, Mr. Garrick in the character of Richard the III D, c. 1750–1800, , 25.2 × 35.4 cm (sheet). 1994.2070, Baillieu Library Print Collection, University of Melbourne.

Below Gerard Vandergucht (engraver), after ‘H. Gravelot’ (Hubert-François Bourguignon), published by H. Lintott etc. for Lewis Theobold, 1740, Vol. 1. P. 1 [illustration to The tempest], , 16.8 × 10.0 cm (sheet). 1959.5380, gift of Dr J. Orde Poynton 1959, Baillieu Library Print Collection, University of Melbourne.

editions, Gravelot chose the pastoral charm of the log-bearing scene (Act 3, Scene 1), creating a setting reminiscent of an 18th-century rococo romance.6 His preliminary design (held in the ) is coloured in charming pastel tones, reaffirming this vision.7 As Ferdinand and Miranda’s love blossoms in front of the reader’s eyes, Prospero stands silently in the background, the engraved version obscuring him in a thicket of hatched shadow. Instead of representing his conjured storm, this image conveys the sorcerer’s silent, dark and contained power, set against the whimsy of the young couple’s storyline. Among the various illustrated editions of Shakespeare, ’s series of acting and theatrical editions, first published in 1773, became the most popular among 18th-century audiences, with innovations that became benchmarks for the future production of similar volumes.8 Bell’s first major advance was to shift the illustrations from frontispieces into the body of the text, next to the action being represented. Thus, a small rearrangement of existing parts led to a complete reconfiguration of the manner in which readers absorbed the scenes.9 To guide the reader further, a quote was printed beneath each image, indicating the moment

42 University of Melbourne Collections, issue 18, June 2016 Unknown engraver, after James Roberts the younger, published for John Bell, 1775, Mrs Barry in the character of Constance [from King John], engraving, 17.5 × 10.7 cm (sheet). 2012.0128, gift of Russell Beedles 2012, Baillieu Library Print Collection, University of Melbourne.

that the action was occurring. In a similar spotlight on the actor, this way the engravings allowed the foreshadowing the trend promoted by contemporary reader to experience Bell through the 1770–80s.12 Shakespeare in the space between the This trend continued into the still image and the text, the quoted 19th century and, in 1856, New lines identifying a single point in the York publishers Martin, Johnson story. The images provided a setting & Co. pressed a line-and-stipple for the verse, while the verse in turn engraving of Charles and Ellen Kean gave movement to the images, an in the characters of King John and experience intensified by the highly Constance.13 These actors would hold emotive moments chosen. significance for Australian audiences, The second innovation born as seven years later they were part from Bell’s editions was the of a tour that included the United depiction of characters as portraits States and Australia. In the distinctly of contemporary actors and actresses Victorian illustration, the figures pose who were known for a particular role. motionless, like sitters for a portrait. Illustrating Act 2 of King John in This absence of action intentionally Bell’s Shakespeare for instance, highlights the attention paid to detail Mrs Barry theatrically pulls part in the costumes and scenery, a priority of her headdress from her hair, for 19th-century stage productions. motioning to fling it out of the As has been seen thus far, a taste picture (right). In a print by an for Shakespeare grew prodigiously unknown engraver after a design by portraits for Bell’s editions maintain through the second half of the 18th James Roberts the younger (1748– this focus on the actors and actresses century. In 1786, London alderman 1809), the scene is captioned with the themselves, even in variants that add and publisher sought to words of her character, Constance: a small amount of scenery.11 Indeed, combine the Bard’s popularity with ‘I will not keep this form upon my David Garrick remained in many ways that of the greatest British artists of head, When there is such a disorder responsible for the rising celebrity the day. The project, devised with his in my wit’.10 Background scenery is status of the Shakespearean actor, nephew and bookseller conspicuously absent. Instead, the and the contemporary popularity of George Nicol, was proposed in the white page acts as the spotlight, the the theatre made these new editions following terms: figure isolated during her emotional especially marketable. For instance, soliloquy. Unlike Mr. Garrick in the the frontispiece for the 1756 Dublin Mr. Alderman Boydell, Josiah character of Richard the III D, where edition of The tragical history of King Boydell, and George Nicol, Hogarth has assembled a rich setting Richard III is a version of Hogarth’s propose to publish by subscription in which to situate his character, the Mr Garrick, cropped to achieve a most magnificent and

Callum Reid, ‘The Bard’s plays in pictures’ 43 (engraver), after , published by John and Josiah Boydell, 1799, Midsummer-night’s dream Act 2. Scene 2. A wood—Robin Good-Fellow, stipple engraving, 26.8 × 18.6 cm (image). 1959.3835, gift of Dr J. Orde Poynton 1959, Baillieu Library Print Collection, University of Melbourne.

accurate edition of the plays of English School of Historical Painting, ’s King Lear casting Shakespeare, in eight volumes Of was the great object of the present out his daughter Cordelia was the largest Quarto Size, on the design’.15 among the largest paintings in the finest Royal Atlag Paper, to be Sir Joshua Reynolds, president of Shakespeare Gallery, at 2.6 metres fabricated for that Purpose … To the Royal Academy, was among the high and 3.63 metres wide.17 King accompany this work Messieurs artists commissioned to contribute to Lear leaps madly from his seat and Boydell intend to publish by the new Shakespeare Gallery, which gestures furiously to banish Cordelia, subscription a series of large opened in 1789 to great fanfare. who has failed to proclaim her love and capital prints After Pictures Reynolds’ third and final submission, for him to his satisfaction. The stipple to be immediately painted by Midsummer-night’s dream, also engraving completed in 1792 by the following Artists, from the called Robin Good-Fellow, or Puck, (see p. 46) attempts most striking Scenes in the same was reproduced in print by Luigi to capture this drama within the Author … The pictures will be Schiavonetti in 1799 (opposite). limitations of the printed page. The of various Sizes, chiefly as large The painting was first imagined as principal protagonists are lit the as Life. As soon as they have a simple portrait of a playful infant, most strongly: Cordelia, Lear, his all been engraved, they will be only later transformed into the servant the earl of Kent and his two hung up in a Gallery built on mischievous imp through the addition eldest daughters, Goneril and Regan. Purpose, and called the Gallery of several identifying characteristics Alongside this spotlighting technique, of Shakspeare.14 and background figures. After seeing Earlom exploits the precision afforded the original portrait, John Boydell by stipple to carefully render the facial Eighteenth-century artists from suggested to Reynolds that it could expressions of the scene’s prominent the British school, best recognised at ‘very easily come into the Shakespeare, figures. Although the painting’s scale this point for portraiture, were called if Sir Joshua will kindly place him on could not be replicated on paper, the on as Boydell looked to cement their a mushroom, and give him fawn’s ears, confusion and fury on the face of the position in the canon of European and make a Puck of him’.16 king at the centre of the page could be art, in which many of the great Alongside the adaptation of brought into even sharper focus. artists had been distinguished by Reynolds’ existing portrait, the Boydell Ultimately, the Shakespeare religious and mythological history- venture involved the assimilation of Gallery project was one of painting. The surge in popularity finished extant paintings that could fit entrepreneurship, a commercial for Shakespeare provided a unique, into the project’s overarching thesis: endeavour, with subscriptions levied English platform from which to the best contemporary British artists to complete folios of prints and high- pursue such an endeavour. John painting scenes from Shakespeare. end editions of Shakespeare made Boydell wrote: ‘In a country where This of course encompassed Hogarth’s available for purchase. The Boydells’ Historical Painting is still but in Mr. Garrick in the character of Richard display of the original paintings in its infancy—To advance that art the III D, with which we are now very a building distinguished from their towards maturity, and establish an familiar. shop endowed the project with the

44 University of Melbourne Collections, issue 18, June 2016 Callum Reid, ‘The Bard’s plays in pictures’ 45 Richard Earlom (engraver), after Henry Fuseli, published by John and Josiah Boydell, 1792, Shakspeare [sic]: King Lear, Act I. Scene I [Lear casting out Cordelia], stipple engraving, 45.0 × 59.5 cm (image). 2015.0040, Baillieu Library Print Collection, University of Melbourne.

46 University of Melbourne Collections, issue 18, June 2016 legitimacy and goodwill of a public Charles Grignion; see The works of William the Baillieu Library’s holdings of Bell’s gallery. Unfortunately, the crippling Hogarth, from the original plates restored Shakespeare, see Dramatick writings of Will. by …, London: Baldwin, Shakspere [also known as Bell’s edition of economic effects of the Napoleonic Cradock and Joy, 1822 (one copy in Rare Shakspere], London: Printed for, and under Wars saw the gallery close in 1805, Books and one in Baillieu Library Print the direction of, John Bell, British Library, the entire collection of paintings Collection, University of Melbourne), and Strand, 1785–88, Rare Books, Baillieu The original and genuine works of William Library, University of Melbourne. sold by lottery in the same year. In Hogarth, London: Boydell and Co., c. 1810, 9 Stuart Sillars, The illustrated Shakespeare, a rather tragic Shakespearean twist, Rare Books, Baillieu Library, University of 1709–1875, New York: Cambridge University John Boydell saw the debt recovered, Melbourne. Press, 2008, pp. 111–12. with all tickets selling, yet did not 2 Stuart Sillars, Painting Shakespeare: The artist 10 Late 18th-century copies of King John began as critic, 1720–1820, New York: Cambridge to include the stage direction ‘tearing off her live to see the lottery drawn, dying a University Press, 2006, p. 52. head-dress’ in the text following this quote. month before, after catching a cold. 3 Lewis Theobald, The works of Shakespeare: 11 See for instance S. Newnham (engraver), As the original paintings and their In eight volumes. Collated with the oldest after Ramberg, Mrs Farren in the character copies, and corrected: With notes, explanatory, of Hermia (Midsummer night’s dream), engravings were dispersed, galleries and critical: By Mr Theobald (2nd edn), 1785, , 9.2 × 6.7 cm (image). around the world received images London: H. Lintott etc., 1740. Rare Books 2015.0028, purchased 2015, Baillieu Library of what was a unique moment in in the Baillieu Library holds the 1762 edition Print Collection, University of Melbourne. the history of English painting and (London: printed for C. Hitch etc.). 12 Erin C. Blake, ‘Shakespeare, portraiture, 4 Michael Dobson (ed.), The Oxford companion painting and prints’, in Mark Thornton in the history of Shakespearean to Shakespeare, Oxford University Press, Burnett, Adrian Streete and Ramona imagery. 2001, p. 211. The complete title is The works Wray (eds), The Edinburgh companion of Mr William Shakespear: In six volumes. to Shakespeare and the arts, Edinburgh Callum Reid is a PhD candidate in art history Adorn’d with cuts. Revis’d and corrected, with University Press, 2011, p. 428. at the University of Melbourne. His research an account of the life and writings of the 13 Unknown engraver and artist, published by interests include museology, , and author. Martin, Johnston & Co., New York, 1856, early-modern fine and decorative arts, with 5 The Baillieu Library Print Collection also Mr and Mrs Charles Kean as King John and a focus on the formation and reception of holds illustrations from the 1740 edition for Lady Constance (King John), steel engraving, collections. He was acting curator of the Baillieu All’s well that ends well (1959.5382), The 26.7 × 19.7 cm. 2015.0035, purchased 2015, Library Print Collection from August 2015 to merry wives of Windsor (1959.5381), King Baillieu Library Print Collection, University February 2016. Henry V (1959.5947) and King Henry VI of Melbourne. (1959.4977). 14 From a 1786 prospectus of the same title, 6 The storm itself was the frontispiece for published in London, 1 December 1786. After Shakespeare, an exhibition Rowe’s 1709 edition. 15 John Boydell, A catalogue of the pictures in exploring the legacy of William 7 Hubert-François Bourguignon, known as the Shakespeare Gallery, Pall-Mall, London: Shakespeare, will be on display in the ‘H. Gravelot’, Illustration to ‘The tempest’, W. Bulmer & Co., 1802, p. v. Noel Shaw Gallery, Baillieu Library, Act III, Scene 1, c. 1740, drawing with body 16 George Nicol to John Boydell, cited in from July 2016 to January 2017. colour, 12.3 × 8.0 cm. 1881,0709.30, British Christopher Kent Rovee, Imagining the Museum. gallery: The social body of British romanticism, 8 Kalman A. Burnim and Philip H. Highfill Jr, San Francisco: Stanford University Press, 1 The original painting is held in the Walker John Bell, patron of British theatrical 2006, p. 82. Art Gallery, Liverpool (Inv. no. WAG 634). portraiture: A catalog of the theatrical portraits 17 Petra Maisak, ‘Henry Fuseli—“Shakespeare’s The University of Melbourne also holds in his editions of Bell’s Shakespeare and Bell’s painter”’, in Walter Pape and Frederick two copies of the impressions of the original British Theatre, Carbondale: Southern Burwick (eds), The Boydell Shakspeare William Hogarth versions engraved by Illinois University Press, 1998, p. 10. For Gallery, Bottrop: Peter Pomp, 1996.

Callum Reid, ‘The Bard’s plays in pictures’ 47