A scene from the laughable comedy of the divorce suit

Folger bibliographic ID: 233770
Harvard Theatre Collection. Catalogue of dramatic portraits: Forrest, Edwin, 55
Folger call number: ART 265- 958
Folger holdings ID: 282765
Accession Number: 265958

General notes

Title from item Edwin Forrest (as Othello) stands on the viewer's right, with his left hand raised in a fist as he threatens John Van Buren (as Iago), his counsel in his bitter divorce in 1851. Van Buren, on viewer's left, holds a quill in his right hand; below him, a bundle of papers labeled "Ann Flowers." The words "Superior Court" to the right of Forrest's head. Text across bottom of image reads like playbill In the spring of 1849, Forrest discovered a love letter addressed to his wife, Catherine N. Sinclair Forrest, from a minor actor. Despite Sinclair's denial of the accusations, Forrest's suspicions led to their separation and scandalous divorce trial in 1851, in which Forrest was represented by John Van Buren. Forrest and Sinclair sued each other, both on the grounds of infidelity, and Forrest solicited a number of witnesses, including Ann Flowers, a former servant, to testify against his wife

Item information about Folger ART 265- 958

Publication information effaced Adopted by Robert Young, Acquisitions Night 2012

Alternate titles: Divorce suit

Forrest, Edwin, 1806-1872 Forrest, Catherine Norton Sinclair, 1817-1891 Van Buren, John, 1810-1866 Shakespeare, William, 1564-1616. Othello Shakespeare, William, 1564-1616 Othello (Fictitious character) Iago (Fictitious character) Divorce

depiction: Forrest, Edwin, 1806-1872
subject: Forrest, Edwin, 1806-1872
subject: Forrest, Catherine Norton Sinclair, 1817-1891
depiction: Van Buren, John, 1810-1866
depiction: Shakespeare, William, 1564-1616
publisher: Abel, Peter E.