Olivia's House - Olivia, Maria and Malvolio (Shakespeare, Twelfth Night, Act 3, Scene 4)
first published 1794; reissued 1852
Medium
Stipple engraving
Dimensions
Image: 17 1/8 x 23 9/16 in. (43.5 x 59.9 cm) Plate: 19 7/16 × 25 7/16 in. (49.3 × 64.6 cm) Sheet: 23 1/16 x 28 3/4 in. (58.6 x 73 cm)
Classification
Prints
Department
Drawings and Prints
Museum
Metropolitan Museum of Art, New York, NY
Credit
John O. Hamlin Bequest, 1976
Accession Number
1976.653.82
Tags
Art Historical Context
This enchanting stipple engraving captures a pivotal comedic moment from William Shakespeare's *Twelfth Night*, Act , Scene 4:'s house, where the pompous steward Malvolio appears in his absurd yellow stockings and cross-garter pose, tricked by Maria's forged letter. Olivia looks on in bemused horror, while a mischievous monkey adds a touch of whimsy, highlighting the play's themes of mistaken identities and festive folly. First published in 1794 reissued in 1852, it draws from the illustrious Boydell Shakespeare Gallery, a groundbreaking project by publishers John and Josiah Boydell to celebra...
About the Artist
Thomas Ryder I|Johann Heinrich Ramberg|John & Josiah Boydell|William Shakespeare|Shearjashub Spooner (British|British|British|British|British) · 1746 |1750 |1746 |1767 |1769 –1810 |1811 |1810 |1787 |1830
British, 1746–1810|British, Mildenhall, Suffolk 1750–1811 Keswick, Cumberland|British, 1746–1810|British, active London 1767–87|British, Bristol 1769–1830 London