King Lear. Act IV. Scene VII. Lear, Cordelia, and Kent [graphic]

King Lear. Act IV. Scene VII. Lear, Cordelia, and Kent [graphic]

:Pressly title: The awakening of King Lear

ca. 1792.

1 painting on canvas : oil ; 78.7 x 54 cm

canvas

Title from Boydell Shakespeare Gallery catalog.

In its original frame.

In the arch at the upper left, Smirke had originally included a leaded window pane, which he then painted out with clouds and a blue sky.

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)

Friedman 1976, p. 212, n. 415, and p. 236.

A large scratch across the bottom of Cordelia's robe (visible in the photograph) and an old zigzagging tear 22 inches long across the middle of the painting were repaired in 1988

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)

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: 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.

Pressly, W.L. Paintings in the Folger Shakespeare Library, 58

Great Britain -- England.

FPa53

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