Bardolph
May 20, 1775 (originally published); published 1809
Medium
Etching on cream wove paper
Dimensions
Plate: 40.5 × 42.4 cm (16 × 16 3/4 in.); Sheet: 60.5 × 43.2 cm (23 7/8 × 17 1/16 in.)
Classification
etching
Department
Prints and Drawings
Museum
Art Institute of Chicago
Accession Number
155619
Rights
Public Domain
Art Historical Context
Step into the dramatic world of Shakespeare with *Bardolph*, an etching by British artist John Hamilton Mortimer, originally published on May 20, 1775, and reissued in 1809. Bardolph, the boisterous, red-nosed companion to Sir John Falstaff in Shakespeare's *Henry IV* and *Henry V*, is captured here in Mortimer's bold, expressive style. Known for his theatrical history paintings and prints influenced by Gothic and early Romantic sensibilities, Mortimer infuses the character with vivid personality, highlighting Bardolph's roguish charm amid the Bard's tales of tavern revelry and battlefield antics. Crafted as an etching on cream wove paper, this print measures a generous plate size of 40.5 × 42.4 cm, allowing for intricate line work and tonal depth characteristic of the medium. Etching, popular in 18th-century Britain, enabled artists like Mortimer to reproduce dramatic figures with fluid, incisive lines, bridging fine art and popular culture. Housed in the Art Institute of Chicago's Prints and Drawings Department, it reflects the era's fascination with Shakespearean illustration, making literary icons accessible to a wide audience. This work not only showcases Mortimer's skill in capturing human eccentricity but also underscores printmaking's role in preserving dramatic narratives across generations—perfect for pondering the timeless appeal of Shakespeare's rogues!
About the Artist
John Hamilton Mortimer · 1740–1779
Comment on works: History; Portraits; Genre