Friedman 1976, p. 212, n. 415, and p. 236. Engravings: Anker Smith, published 6 October 1792 for 1802 Boydell edition of Shakespeare's plays, facing p. 113 of King Lear, 10 3/8 x 6 3/8 in. (image and margin); a smaller print by M. F. Geisler, 5 7/8 x 3 3/4 in. (image and margin); an outline engraving by Starling, 3 7/8 x 2 7/8 in. (image)
Provenance
Provenance: Commissioned by Alderman John Boydell for the Shakespeare Gallery; sold by lottery 28 January 1805 and won by William Tassie; sold by Christie 18 May 1805, no. 11, as "Lear, Cordelia and Kent-a charming and elegant Picture," bought by Crome, Esq., for 10 guineas (£10.10.0)
Source of acquisition
G. Michelmore & Co., Rare Books, Autographs, Manuscripts, 5 Royal Opera Arcade, Pall Mall, London SW1, February 1922, £125 (£250 for this picture and no. 86)
Exhibited
Exhibited: London, Boydell Shakespeare Gallery, "A Catalogue of Small Pictures Painted for the Shakspeare Gallery, Pall-Mall," (bound with the 1794 edition of the catalogue of the large paintings, but the number sequence begins again at "1"), 1795, no.30; London, Boydell Shakespeare Gallery, "A Catalogue of Small PIctures Painted for the Shakspeare Gallery, Pall-Mall," (bound with the 1796 edition of the catalogue of the large paintings, but the number sequence begins again at "1"), 1796, no. 33; London, Boydell Shakespeare Gallery, "A Catlogue of the Pictures &c. in the Shakspeare Gallery, Pall-Mall" and "A Catalogue of Small Pictures Painted for the Shakspeare Gallery, Pall-Mall" (only one number sequence for both large and small paintings), 1802, no. 155; London, Boydell Shakespeare Gallery, "The Exhibition of the Shakspeare Galley, Pall-Mall," (last time paintings were shown together; preparatory to their sale), 1805, no. 42. Washington, D.C., Folger Shakespeare Library, 2007. Marketing Shakespeare. Washington, DC, Folger Shakespeare Library, May 2017- February 2018. Painting Shakespeare.
Cited/described in
Pressly, W.L. Paintings in the Folger Shakespeare Library, 58
