Bardolph, from "Twelve Characters from Shakespeare"
May 20, 1775
Medium
Etching
Dimensions
sheet: 15 3/4 x 12 3/8 in. (40 x 31.5 cm)
Classification
Prints
Department
Drawings and Prints
Museum
Metropolitan Museum of Art, New York, NY
Credit
Purchase, 2002
Accession Number
2002.330.1
Tags
Art Historical Context
This etching by John Hamilton Mortimer presents Bardolph, a vivid character from William Shakespeare’s history plays, as part of the artist’s 1775 series “Twelve Characters from Shakespeare.” Created on May 20 of that year, the work belongs to a set of prints that brought Shakespeare’s memorable figures to a wider audience through the accessible medium of etching. The sheet measures 15 ¾ by 12 ⅜ inches, a size well suited for both private collectors and public display. Mortimer’s choice of etching allowed for expressive line work that highlights the distinctive features of his subjects, empha...
About the Artist
John Hamilton Mortimer|William Shakespeare · 1740–1779
Comment on works: History; Portraits; Genre