Nast, Thomas. Juvenile sketches of Shakespearean scenes

Folger bibliographic ID: 256369
Folger call number: ART Box N269 no.4
Folger holdings ID: 339178

General notes

Artist: Items are said to have been drawn by Nast when 'very young'. Item no.6 has a pencil note in lower right corner, 'about 1853', which if correct would mean the drawings were done when Nast was around 13. Biographical sources give Nast's first engagement as illustrator for a publisher (Frank Leslie) as 1855, at the age of 15 Items vary in size. Most are on wove paper, lacking watermarks, though no.3 shows half of a Whatman's mark. No.5,9 (the ink wash and opaque drawings) are on heavy stock paper. Most of the drawings have pencil notations and or rough sketches in the margins. All but #1 & 4-5 are signed or initialed. The edges of the items are ragged, torn, or uneven Provenance: Items were purchased by the Folgers from Mrs. Thomas Nast in 1907. Correspondence regarding the purchases, Mrs. Nast's descriptions of the items, etc., are housed in the Art Provenance case file (Case 467) Subject: Drawings depict the following: ART Box N269 no.1). Two pencil sketches on one sheet, on left 2 men, one leading a horse and holding a bird on his right hand, both in Elizabethan dress, on right, two men in country dress, each holding a tool. Labeled on verso 'As you like it?', 9 1/2 x 11 3/4 in. ; no.2) 'Loves Labours Lost/ Don Adriane de Armade & Moth', 9 3/8 x 11 3/16 in. ; no.3) Anne Page and Slender from Merry wives, 7 1/2 x 10 in. ; no.4) Falstaff and others at a table in a tavern, illegible note gives act, scene and title, 7 x 8 3/4 in. ; no.5) Bust portrait of man, to left (possibly an idealic portrait of Shakespeare, 4 1/2 x 3 7/8 in. ; no.6-8) Twelfth night, Act IV, Sc. 1, The Duel, three variant depictions of the same scene, approx. 9 1/2 x 13 in. ; no.9) [Winter's tale] a rotunda lined with statues, 3 men at center by one of the statues [Act V, Sc. 3, Hermione coming to life] 9 x 11 3/8 in. ; no.10) Not labeled, depicts a King holding court. If Shakespearean probably a scene from the History plays, possibly King John. Top of paper cut in arch, 10 7/8 x 9 1/8 in This record contains unverified data from old cards and may contain incorrect or incomplete text. Please consult Curator for assistance Also available as a digital reproduction

Extended title: Juvenile sketches of Shakespearean scenes [Thomas Nast]

Shakespeare, William, 1564-1616 Shakespeare, William, 1564-1616. As you like it Shakespeare, William, 1564-1616. Love's labour's lost Armado, Don Adriano de (Fictitious character) Moth (Fictitious character : Shakespeare. Love's labour's lost) Shakespeare, William, 1564-1616. Merry wives of Windsor Page, Anne (Fictitious character) Slender, Abraham (Fictitious character) Falstaff, John, Sir (Fictitious character) Shakespeare, William, 1564-1616. Twelfth night Hermione (Fictitious character : Shakespeare) Shakespeare, William, 1564-1616. Winter's tale

artist: Nast, Thomas, 1840-1902
depiction: Shakespeare, William, 1564-1616
former owner: Nast, Sarah Edwards