Hamlet and Laertes at the Tomb of Ophelia
Medium
Graphite on tracing paper, laid down
Dimensions
sheet: 9 3/16 x 12 1/16 in. (23.3 x 30.6 cm)
Classification
Drawings
Department
Drawings and Prints
Museum
Metropolitan Museum of Art, New York, NY
Credit
Gift from the Karen B. Cohen Collection of Eugène Delacroix, in honor of Philippe de Montebello, 2013
Accession Number
2013.1135.36
Tags
Art Historical Context
In the gripping scene *Hamlet and Laertes the Tomb of Ophelia (ca. 1843), Eugène Delacroix a pivotal moment from William Shakespeare's tragedy *Hamlet*. This graphite drawing on tracing paper depicts the two rivals clashing dramatically at Ophelia's grave in Act V, embodying the raw grief, rage, and rivalry that define the play's climax. Delacroix, a of French Romanticism, was deeply inspired by Shakespeare, often turning to literary sources for his emotive works that prioritized passion over classical restraint. Rendered on delicate tracing paper—a medium favored for its translucency and sui...
About the Artist
Eugène Delacroix|William Shakespeare · 1798–1863
Eugène Delacroix (1798–1863) stands as the defining figure of French Romanticism and a pivotal bridge to modernism. Born in Charenton-Saint-Maurice near Paris, he came from distinguished lineage—his mother descended from the prestigious Oeben-Riesener furniture dynasty, while persistent speculation suggested the statesman Talleyrand may have been his biological father, a theory supported by physic...