Florizel and Perdita – "The Winter's Tale," from "The Art Journal," opposite p. 4
Not on view
Illustrating act 4, scene 4 of Shakespeare's play, this image shows Perdita, a shepherd's adopted daughter, welcoming two strangers with flowers–seated at right, they are Polixenes and Camillo, the king of Bohemia and a courtier, who have arrived disguised to stop the prince from marrying a shepherd girl (unknown to all, Perdita is, in fact, also of noble birth). Standing next to Perdita, Florizel gazes at his beloved, not yet aware of his father's presence.
After being commissioned by the manufacturer and collector John Sheepshanks (1787–1863), Leslie's related painting was exhibited at the Royal Academy in London in 1837 with a pendant titled, "Falstaff and His Friends," from "The Merry Wives of WIndsor" (Act 1, Scene 4). Both were presented in 1857 to the Victoria and Albert Museum. See 24.63.1204 for an engraved image of the latter.
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