Title devised by cataloger
Artist: There were two pictures of Lady Macbeth executed by Westall for the Boydell Gallery. The other work pictures Lady Macbeth in Act I, Sc. 5, standing front, clutching a letter. This portrayal varies greatly from the artist's picture of Lady Macbeth in the sleepwalking scene. The I,5 picture presents an ominous strong presence and is painted in a grand style, whereas the sleepwalking picture is less powerful and not as well developed stylistically. (The I,5 painting has been noted as a portrait of Sarah Siddons in the character of Lady Macbeth, see Harv. cat.)
History: Design was engraved by W.C. Wilson and published by John & Josiah Boydell, as part of their Shakespearean Gallery, Sept. 29, 1799 as Macbeth. Act 5. Scene 1. Doctor of Physick, a Waiting Gentlewoman, & Lady Macbeth. Drawings vary from engraving in detail, particularly in the facial features of the Doctor of Physic and the gentlewoman seen in back right. A drawing seemingly identical to these 2 but measuring 9 7/8 x 7 1/8 in and signed R.W. 1799 is housed in the Ashmolean Museum (Brown cat., no. 1871). The Ashmolean catalog makes note of an identical drawing, signed and dated 1797 in the V & A (Dyce bequest, 912). Another pen and wash design of the same scene, attributed to Westall, is listed in the Nottingham University Art Gallery exhibit catalog for Shakespeare in art (1961), item no. 46. (Drawing is noted as 'Lent by Christopher Fry') For a copy of the engraving see ART Vol. b55, vol.15 (after p.82)
Subject: Depicts Act V, Sc. 1 of Macbeth, Lady Macbeth sleepwalking. Lady Macbeth is pictured standing in a white gown, slightly left of center, to right, her arms stretched in front of her, in the motion of rubbing her hands. The Doctor of Physic and gentlewoman are standing back right, looking at Lady Macbeth. The design has sometimes been described as depicting Sarah Siddons in the role of Lady Macbeth (Friedman. Boydell's Shakespeare Gallery. 1976, p. 190). Friedman, whose work attempts to trace the present location of all the paintings done for the Boydell Gallery, was unable to locate a painting of this design. The engraving after this design is in the small Boydell format - see engraving
Similar in depiction to another drawing at the Folger Shakespeare Library, though they vary slightly in detail and coloring and in size (ART Box W522 no.3 shows more detail in the faces of the doctor and the gentlewoman and adds a blue plaid pattern to the brown wash of the gentlewoman's dress, and the key in the left hand of the gentlewoman is more clearly delineated. This other drawing measures 14 1/8 x 10 3/8, is executed on wove paper which bears the watermark 'C Brenchley', and is neither signed nor dated. In pencil on its border is the note 'drawing by Westall'.)
Also available as a digital reproduction
Purchased by the Folgers from Maggs Bros., June 1923
OPEN IN MIRADOR