Edmund Kean in the Character of Macbeth

1814

Not on view

Edmund Kean entranced Londoners in 1814 with tragic Shakespearean roles performed at the Drury Lane Theatre, and here appears as Macbeth contemplating regicide. An ability to convey nuanced emotions distinguished Kean from John Philip Kemble's broader acting style at the rival Covent Garden Theatre. In this drawing Harlow used delicate colored chalks for the face, and broader strokes to indicate the costume, a technique influenced by Thomas Lawrence.

Artwork Details

Object Information

Overview

Signatures, Inscriptions, and Markings

Provenance

References

Title: Edmund Kean in the Character of Macbeth
Artist: George Henry Harlow (British, London 1787–1819 London)
Sitter: Edmund Kean (British, 1787–1833)
Subject: William Shakespeare (British, Stratford-upon-Avon 1564–1616 Stratford-upon-Avon)
Date: 1814
Medium: Black chalk, brush and wash and watercolor
Dimensions: Sheet: 8 1/8 × 6 7/8 in. (20.6 × 17.4 cm)
Classification: Drawings
Credit Line: Gift of Paul Jeromack, in memory of Robert Tuggle, 2016
Object Number: 2016.767.1
Curatorial Department: Drawings and Prints

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