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Ophelia (Shakespeare, Hamlet, Act 4, Scene 5)

1784
Not on view
Ophelia appears here, her mind unhinged by the murder of her father and rejection by Hamlet. In Act 4 of Shakespeare's play she appears crowned with weeds and flowers, singing pathetically, and distributing herbs to members of the court whom she no longer recognizes. The related painting by Pine was shown in April 1782, with six other subjects from Shakespeare, at the Great Room in Spring-Gardens with plans announced for engravings "in the chalk manner," by Caroline Watson and Victor Marie Picot. After Pine departed for America, Boydell bought the plates and reissued this version of the print.

Artwork Details

Object Information
  • Title: Ophelia (Shakespeare, Hamlet, Act 4, Scene 5)
  • Artist: Caroline Watson (British, London 1760/61–1814 London)
  • Artist: after Robert Edge Pine (British, London (?) 1720/30?–1788 Philadelphia, Pennsylvania)
  • Publisher: John Boydell (British, Dorrington, Shropshire 1720–1804 London)
  • Subject: William Shakespeare (British, Stratford-upon-Avon 1564–1616 Stratford-upon-Avon)
  • Date: 1784
  • Medium: Stipple engraving; printed in brown ink
  • Dimensions: Sheet (trimmed to plate): 15 1/16 × 17 13/16 in. (38.2 × 45.2 cm)
  • Classification: Prints
  • Credit Line: Harris Brisbane Dick Fund, 1953
  • Object Number: 53.600.4488
  • Curatorial Department: Drawings and Prints

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