The first appearance of William Shakespeare on the stage of the Globe Theatre
Cruikshank, George (1792-1878)
- Yale Center for British Art
Paul Mellon Fund[Museum inv. no.: B1975.5.25]
Item location
Description
This painting is a 19th-century vision of a multitude of Shakespearean characters crowded together on a proscenium stage, beneath an oval portrait of Shakespeare himself and a heading "All the world's a stage" above. The curtains are open; columns on the left and right feature decorative theatrical mask and garland on top and clusters of musical instruments at their bases; a note (part of the painting) pinned at stage center proclaims Shakespeare's birth in 1564 and celebrates performances since that time; the artist's date for this painting appears at the foot of the column on the right.People as subjects
Shakespeare, William (1564-1616)Iconclass
61A(1564)(SHAKESPEARE'S BIRTH)historical events and situations (1564) (SHAKESPEARE'S BIRTH)
48C8021
symbolic representations, allegories and emblems ~ dramatic literature
48C85
theatre, theatrical performance
48C852
group of actors, troupe; actors on the stage
48C853
stage costume
48A9875
ornament ~ festoon, garland
48C73
musical instruments; group of musical instruments
Instruments [MIMO Code] (notes)
End-blown trumpet [6556] (painted architectural detail)Clappers [2426] (painted architectural detail)
Frame drum [2598] (painted architectural detail; with beaters)
Flute [3955] (painted architectural detail)
Tambourine [2746] (painted architectural detail)
RIdIM images
