Honest Iago, my Desdemona must I leave to thee, plate four from Othello

Art Historical Context

Théodore Chassériau's *Honest Iago, my Desdemona must I leave thee*, plate four from his 1844 *Othello* series, a pivotal moment from Shakespeare's. Here, the Moorish general Othello entrusts his beloved Desdemona to hisming ensign Iago before departing for war—a line fraught with dramatic irony, as Iago's manipulations will soon unravel their fates. Created when Chassériau was 24, this print reflects the young French artist's Romantic fascination with literature and emotion, bridging Neoclassical precision (influenced by his teacher Ingres) with the expressive drama of Delacroix. Printed using etching, engraving, roulette, and drypoint on delicate light gray China paper—then laid down on sturdy white wove paper—this work showcases Chassériau's mastery of mixed intaglio techniques. Etching allows fluid lines, engraving sharp details, roulette velvety tones, and drypoint soft, burr-rich textures, creating depth and intimacy on the modest 28.4 × 21.2 cm image. Such prints were prized in 19th-century Europe for their affordability, making high art accessible beyond paintings. Housed in the Art Institute of Chicago's Prints and Drawings Department, this etching highlights Chassériau's brief but brilliant career, blending literary illustration with innovative printmaking. It's a window into how Shakespeare's universal themes of jealousy and trust resonated in Romantic France, inviting visitors to ponder the shadows behind "honest" facades.

About the Artist

Théodore Chassériau · 1819–1856

Théodore Chassériau was born on September 20, 1819, in El Limón, Samaná, in the Spanish colony of Santo Domingo — present-day Dominican Republic — to a French father and a Creole mother. The family relocated to Paris in 1820, and the young Chassériau's exceptional talent was evident almost immediately. At just eleven years old, in 1830, he was accepted into the prestigious studio of Jean-Auguste-D...