Hamlet and the Ghost of his Father
mid-19th century
Medium
Pen and gray ink, over graphite; double framing lines in pen and gray ink
Dimensions
sheet: 16 3/8 x 21 1/4 in. (41.6 x 54 cm)
Classification
Drawings
Department
Drawings and Prints
Museum
Metropolitan Museum of Art, New York, NY
Credit
Harry G. Sperling Fund, 2011
Accession Number
2011.452
Tags
Art Historical Context
In the mid-19th century, artist Adam Vogler created this evocative drawing of a key scene from William Shakespeare’s Hamlet, showing the prince confronting the ghost of his murdered father. The subject draws from one of the play’s most dramatic moments, highlighting themes of mortality, revenge, and the supernatural that resonated strongly with audiences of the era. As part of the Metropolitan Museum of Art’s collection of Drawings and Prints, the work underscores the lasting influence of Shakespearean literature on visual artists during this period. Vogler executed the composition in pen and...
About the Artist
Adam Vogler|William Shakespeare (Austrian|British) · 1822 |1564 –1856 |1616
Austrian, Vienna 1822–1856 Rome|British, Stratford-upon-Avon 1564–1616 Stratford-upon-Avon