Shakspeare, Midsummer-Night's Dream. Act IV, Scene I

1803, Engraving

Category

Library Item

Item no

40230

Title

Shakspeare [Shakespeare], Midsummer-Night's Dream. Act IV, Scene I

Description

TITANIA: My Oberon! what visions have I seen!/ Methought I was enamour'd of an ass.
OBERON: There lies your love.
TITANIA: How came these things to pass?/ O, how mine eyes do loathe his visage now!
OBERON: Silence awhile. Robin, take off this head.

Titania awakens from what she thinks was a strange dream. Oberon is there to gladly point out that it indeed happened, and Bottom still lies next to the queen. Just like the other Fuseli-illustration of Midsummer Night’s Dream, this one is also set in the fairy court, and has strange, enchanting creatures in it. It is also a circular composition with Oberon and Titania in the centre bathed in light, between them a fairy showing the herb that broke the love-spell previously put on the queen. Surrounding them are fairies dancing, laughing, playing music. The other half of the picture is centred around a sleeping Bottom. It is dark and the creatures are crude and more witchlike. The ass’s head has been taken off Bottom, two fairies are holding it above Titania. The scene depicts the two halves of love, a light and cheerful one, and a dark, sinister one.

Engraver

Thomas Ryder

Date

1803

Size

63.5 x 50 cm

Type

Engraving

Location

Art and Design Library

Rights and purchasing

Option	Price
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