General notes
21 designs for 13 etchings. Items are attached to paper, beneath some of the designs the resulting etching is also attached. Labels with act, scene and quotation are attached to most, apparently by the bookseller. Items are numbered but unsigned
Artist: Howard was the son of Henry Howard, R.A. He studied at the Royal Academy and was an assistant to Thomas Lawrence. He exhibited at the R.A. from 1825-1846, mostly poetical and Shakespearean subjects
History: Drawings are designed for etchings which appeared in Howard's work 'The spirit of the plays of Shakespeare', exhibited in a series of outline plates illustrative of the story of each play' London : T. Cadell, etc., 1833. Although the final 5 volume edition of this work is dated 1833, Howard was issuing editions separately as each was completed, thus the etchings for Antony and Cleopatra were originally published in 1828. According to the DNB he began publishing the series in 1827 and completed in 1833. Folger copy of the published etchings is the 1833 edition in 5 volumes (PR 2883 H7). The Library also has copies of the etchings of Antony and Cleopatra, unbound, dated 1828 (ART File S528a3 no.66 pts.1-13). The published edition of the etchings contains 13 scenes from Antony and Cleopatra. This collection of drawings contains preliminary designs for all 13 etchings plus a design for a scene which was not etched (Act V, Scene 1 Enter Dercetas, with the sword of Antony)
Provenance: The items were formerly contained in a box which bore the incorrect title 'Flaxman, Original drawings and etchings'. The works were purchased by the Folgers from Maggs Bros., Aug 7, 1925 as representative of the works of John Flaxman (formerly ART Inventory 281)
Also available as a digital reproduction
Contents
no.1. Act 1, scene 5, Alexas -- no.2. Variant sketch for act 1, scene 5 -- no.3a. Another sketch for Act 1 scene 5 -- no.3b. Finished etching for Act 1, scene 5 -- no.4a-b. Act 2, scene 2. Enobarbus, "The barge she sat in." -- no.5a-b. Act 2, scene 2, Caesar and Lepidus -- no.6a-b. Act 2, scene 3, room in Caesar's house, Antony -- no.7. Act 3, scene 6, enter Octavia -- no.8a-b. Variant sketch and finished etching for act 3, scene 6 -- no.9a-b. Act 3, scene 8, Scarus -- no.10a-b. Act 4, scene 4, Antony -- no.11. Act 4, scene 10, Cleopatra -- no.12a-b. Variant sketch and finished etching for act 4, scene 10, Cleopatra -- no.13. Act 4, scene 10, Antony -- no.14a-b. Variant sketch and finished etching for act 4, scene 10, Antony -- no.15a-b. Act 4, scene 12, death of Eros -- no.16. Act 4, scene 13, Cleopatra -- no.17a-b. Variant sketch and finished etching for act 4, scene 13 -- no.18. Act 5, scene 1, enter Dercetas with the sword of Antony -- no.19a-b. Act 5, scene 2, Caesar -- no.20. Act 5, scene 2, Cleopatra, "With thy sharp teeth" -- no.21a-b. Variant sketch and finished etching for act 5, scene 2, Cleopatra
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