Shakespeare's King Lear
Artist: John Boydell
Price:
$400.00
Medium: Prints
More Details
Creation Date: 1793
Materials: Paper and ink
Dimensions: 17" x 23" x 1"
Condition: In spite of being heavily foxed throughout the paper, the foxing is only minimally visible in the image, hence Very Good
Finish: Unframed
About the Item: Engraving by William Sharp depicting Shakespeare's King Lear Act III, Scene IV after the painting by Benjamin West. Publish in 1793 by John and Josiah Boydell, Shakespeare Gallery, London. Image measures 17 in x 23.25 in. Paper measures 22.5 in x 29.5 in
About The Artist
John Boydell (1720-1802) was an English engraver, print publisher, art dealer and politician. Born in Dorrington, England, he was a land surveyor's son and was supposed to follow in his father's footsteps; hence, he was skilled in drawing and sketching. Boydell, however, chose another path and became an apprentice to an engraver, William Henry Toms. He was apprenticed for seven years before publishing his first volume of printed views of England and Wales in 1748. In 1752, he opened a print shop in Cheapside. Boydell later purchased old plates, imported prints, and sold works of art in several European countries, including France, Holland, Germany, and Italy. In 1789, he opened his Shakespeare Gallery in Pall Mall, and the first set of engravings based on paintings exhibited in the gallery was issued in 1791. Many leading artists exhibited at the venue. Later in life, he sustained severe financial losses due to the French Revolution and was forced to dispose of his Shakespeare Gallery by lottery. He became an alderman of the City of London and eventually the Lord Mayor of London.
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