Hamlet, Horatio, Marcellus and the Ghost
Robert Thew
1796
Medium
Etching and stipple on ivory wove paper
Dimensions
Plate: 50.2 × 63.7 cm (19 13/16 × 25 1/8 in.); Sheet: 59.3 × 88 cm (23 3/8 × 34 11/16 in.)
Classification
engraving
Department
Prints and Drawings
Museum
Art Institute of Chicago
Accession Number
154524
Rights
Public Domain
About this artwork
Henry Fuseli made a series of paintings depicting scenes from Shakespeare’s plays, which were reproduced as prints, including this engraving by Robert Thew. This image represents the fourth scene from the first act of Shakespeare’s Hamlet. The ghost of Hamlet’s father appears during the night and beckons him to a place where they can speak privately. Meanwhile, Horatio and Marcellus try to dissuade Hamlet from following for fear of his safety.