Wright, John Massey. [Scenes from Macbeth]

Folger bibliographic ID: 255800
Folger call number: ART Box W951 no.155
Folger holdings ID: 337811

General notes

Collection title devised by cataloger The first two items probably had penciled signatures at the bottom of the drawings however they have been clipped and only the tops of the letters are now visible. The fourth item has a penciled note in the lower left corner '1976' and underneath that 'WRIGHT'. The handwriting is not similar to any of the hands found on other works by Wright in the FSL collection and the number does not refer to the case number and could not possibly have been the date it was painted. The first two items measure approximately 5 3/4 x 9 in. The third measures 7 1/2 x 6 in. and the fourth 9 x 6 1/2 in History: FSL has a much larger version of the fourth watercolor executed in darker colors but portraying the same scene in the same manner (cataloged under Wright for 'Macbeth' - ART Box W951 no.175) Provenance: ART Box W951 no.154-157 were formerly part of ART Inventory 289 (no.53,47,51,1), a collection of 122 Shakespearean watercolors, most of which are attributed to Wright. For provenance information see entry under Wright for Masquerade' Subject: The first two items illustrate the same scene, the first being a rough pencil and wash study for the second which is a finished watercolor. The scene depicted is Macbeth and Banquo meeting the Weird Sisters on the heath (ART Box W951 no.154,155). The third item shows Lady Macbeth, holding a piece of paper in her right hand, standing in the arch of a doorway. Her left hand is formed into a fist and is held across her chest (ART Box W951 no.156). The fourth item pictures Macbeth holding the daggers and Lady Macbeth holding onto his shoulder. The Weird Sisters and a bat are seen flying above their heads (ART Box W951 no.157). Both no.154 and no.155 have additional sketches on their backs, no.154 a very loose ink wash drawing of a group of people in a room, and no.155 a pencil drawing of two lines of men facing one another and pointing at one another

Extended title: [Scenes from Macbeth] [John Massey Wright]

Shakespeare, William, 1564-1616. Macbeth Shakespeare, William, 1564-1616 Banquo (Legendary character) Weird Sisters (Fictitious characters) Macbeth, King of Scotland, active 11th century Gruoch, Queen, consort of Macbeth, King of Scotland

artist: Wright, John Massey, 1777-1866
depiction: Shakespeare, William, 1564-1616
depiction: Macbeth, King of Scotland, active 11th century
depiction: Gruoch, Queen, consort of Macbeth, King of Scotland