[Illustrations to Shakespeare - group scenes - unfinished] [graphic] / J.M. Wright.

[Illustrations to Shakespeare - group scenes - unfinished] [graphic] / J.M. Wright.

[late 18th cent. or 19th cent.]

15 drawings : watercolors with pencil indications ; 159 mm x 257 mm or smaller.

paper

Collection title devised by cataloger.

Drawings formerly glued to backings (since removed) which had the play title written in pencil in the bottom right corner. Six of the drawings have, as well, the title written in pencil on the bottom edge of the item itself, in a different hand from the writing on the backing. Six of the items are either signed or intialed in pencil on the bottom edge of the item. Some of the signatures are clipped. Two of the items have penciled numbers in the bottom right corner, '63' and '67' (ART Box W951 no.48 & 50). Several drawings have additional sketches on verso: no.36 and no.38 have scenes from Merry Wives of Windsor; no.37 has an unidentifiable scene; no. 39 has a rough pencil sketch of Lear & Cordelia; no.40 has a rough pencil sketch of an arm; no.42 and no.44 each have an unidentified scene; no.47 has a pencil, ink, and sepia wash drawing of unidentified scene; no.48 has a pencil and ink wash of unidentified scene.

Artist: The drawings illustrating Taming of the shrew and Henry IV, pt. 1 (ART Box W951 no.36 & 38) are somewhat similar in design to paintings of the same subjects by Robert Smirke (see entry under Wright for 'Drawings in the fashion of Smirke').

History: Drawings are similar in size and shape to a series of finished watercolors by Wright in the Folger collection [cataloged under Wright as 'Illustrations to Shakespeare - group scenes (tableaux)']. Most of the rough studies, however, have more action taking place in them than the finished pieces and for the most part their subjects are taken from different plays. The one exception is the rough study for Titus Andronicus which closely matches the design of the finished watercolor illustrating the same play. These rough studies may have been intended as designs for the completion of the finished watercolor series or for a separate series altogether. Since the rough drawings were purchased together and are all approximately the same size and in a similar state of completion it seems likely that they were intended for the same purpose. They may possibly have been done for a commission or intended for book illustration though there is no evidence of publication.

Provenance: Items were formerly part of ART Inventory 289 (no.27,35,37,42,52,55,59,61,73,75,81,83,85,94,117 - Case 889) see entry under Wright for Masquerade for provenance information.

Subject: Drawings are not labeled as to act and scene but, where obvious, information has been supplied. These designs are much less contrived than the finished watercolor group scenes and seem to be intending more to illustrate action from the play than to exhibit characters. The following plays are illustrated: Taming of the shrew - Induction, Sc. 2 (ART Box W951 no.36) ; King Henry VIII - with Ann Bullen (no.37) ; King Henry IV, pt. 1 - Act II, Sc. 2 (no.38, labeled Merry wives) ; King Lear - Death of Cordelia (no.39) ; King Lear (no.40,41) ; Hamlet - Act V, Sc. 2 (no.42) ; Macbeth (no.43) ; The tempest - Act I, Sc. 2 (no.44,45) ; Othello (no.46) ; [Richard III] (no.47, labeled Henry IV) ; Timon of Athens (no.48) ; Titus Andronicus - Act V, Sc. 3 (no.49) ; Henry IV (no.50).

Digital image(s) of Folger Shakespeare Library ART Box W951 no.40
Digital image(s) of Folger Shakespeare Library ART Box W951 no.41
Digital image(s) of Folger Shakespeare Library ART Box W951 no.43
Digital image(s) of Folger Shakespeare Library ART Box W951 no.45
Digital image(s) of Folger Shakespeare Library ART Box W951 no.46
Digital image(s) of Folger Shakespeare Library ART Box W951 no.49
Digital image(s) of Folger Shakespeare Library ART Box W951 no.50
Digital image(s) of Folger Shakespeare Library ART Box W951 no.36
Digital image(s) of Folger Shakespeare Library ART Box W951 no.37
Digital image(s) of Folger Shakespeare Library ART Box W951 no.38
Digital image(s) of Folger Shakespeare Library ART Box W951 no.39
Digital image(s) of Folger Shakespeare Library ART Box W951 no.42
Digital image(s) of Folger Shakespeare Library ART Box W951 no.44
Digital image(s) of Folger Shakespeare Library ART Box W951 no.47
Digital image(s) of Folger Shakespeare Library ART Box W951 no.48

Great Britain -- England.

ART Box W951 no.36 (size S)

Has portion of old backing attached in mylar, reads: Taming of the shrew, act V, scene II. Continues with a quotation.

ART Box W951 no.37 (size S)

ART Box W951 no.38 (size S)

ART Box W951 no.39 (size S)

ART Box W951 no.40 (size S)

ART Box W951 no.41 (size S)

ART Box W951 no.42 (size S)

ART Box W951 no.43 (size S)

ART Box W951 no.44 (size S)

ART Box W951 no.45 (size S)

ART Box W951 no.46 (size S)

ART Box W951 no.47 (size S)

ART Box W951 no.48 (size S)

ART Box W951 no.49 (size S)

ART Box W951 no.50 (size S)