King Lear Casting Out His Daughter Cordelia (Shakespeare, King Lear, Act 1, Scene 1)

Art Historical Context

This striking stipple engraving captures the pivotal moment from Shakespeare’s *King Lear* when the aging king banishes his loyal daughter Cordelia after she refuses to flatter him with extravagant declarations of love. Designed by the Swiss-born artist Henry Fuseli, whose dramatic compositions helped define the Romantic era’s taste for intense emotion and theatrical gesture, the print conveys the raw tension of the scene through expressive figures, swirling drapery, and the loyal hound that underscores themes of fidelity and betrayal. Published in 1792 by the enterprising London printmakers John and Josiah Boydell as part of their ambitious Shakespeare Gallery project, the work was engraved by Richard Earlom using the stipple technique—a labor-intensive process of tiny dots that allowed for rich tonal gradations and the faithful reproduction of paintings. This fourth state, reissued in 1852, reflects the enduring popularity of Shakespearean subjects in the nineteenth century. Now in the Metropolitan Museum’s collection, the print exemplifies how reproductive engravings brought grand literary and artistic narratives into homes across Britain and beyond, shaping public appreciation for both the Bard and contemporary British art.

About the Artist

Shearjashub Spooner|Richard Earlom|Henry Fuseli|John & Josiah Boydell|William Shakespeare (American|British|British|British) · 1809 |1760 |1786 |1564 –1859 |1797 |1804 |1616

American, Brandon, Vermont 1809–1859 Plainfield, New Jersey|British, ca. 1765–1797 London|British, 1786–1804|British, Stratford-upon-Avon 1564–1616 Stratford-upon-Avon