Detail View: LUNA: Folger Digital Image Collection: [Heroines of Shakespeare] [graphic] / [John W. Wright].

Digital Image File Name: 
35596
Source Call Number: 
ART Box W951.5 no.5 (size S)
Source Creator: 
Wright, John William, 1802-1848, artist.
Source Title: 
[Heroines of Shakespeare] [graphic] / [John W. Wright].
Source Created or Published: 
[early to mid-19th century]
Digital Image Type: 
FSL collection
HAMNET CATALOG RECORD: 
___
Creator (Hamnet): 
Wright, John William, 1802-1848, artist.
Title (Hamnet): 
[Heroines of Shakespeare] [graphic] / [John W. Wright].
Date of Creation or Publ. (Hamnet): 
[early to mid-19th century]
Physical Description (Hamnet): 
6 drawings : watercolor ; 172 x 133 mm. or smaller.
Subject (Hamnet): 
Shakespeare, William, 1564-1616 -- Characters -- Portia (Julius Caesar), depicted.
Subject (Hamnet): 
Shakespeare, William, 1564-1616. All's well that ends well, depicted.
Subject (Hamnet): 
Shakespeare, William, 1564-1616. Julius Caesar, depicted.
Subject (Hamnet): 
Shakespeare, William, 1564-1616. King Henry VI. Part 1, depicted.
Subject (Hamnet): 
Shakespeare, William, 1564-1616. King John, depicted.
Subject (Hamnet): 
Shakespeare, William, 1564-1616. Titus Andronicus, depicted.
Subject (Hamnet): 
Book illustrations -- 19th century.
Subject (Hamnet): 
Catonis, Porcia, ca. 70-43 or 2 B.C. -- In literature, depicted.
Subject (Hamnet): 
Constance, Duchess of Brittany, 1161-1201 -- In literature, depicted.
Subject (Hamnet): 
Drawings -- 19th century.
Subject (Hamnet): 
Helena (Fictitious character : Shakespeare. All's well that ends well), depicted.
Subject (Hamnet): 
Joan, of Arc, Saint, 1412-1431 -- In literature, depicted.
Subject (Hamnet): 
Lavinia (Fictitious character), depicted.
Subject (Hamnet): 
Margaret, of Anjou, Queen, consort of Henry VI, King of England, 1430-1482 -- In literature, depicted.
Subject (Hamnet): 
Shakespeare, William, 1564-1616 -- Characters -- Constance, depicted.
Subject (Hamnet): 
Shakespeare, William, 1564-1616 -- Characters -- Helena (All's well that ends well), depicted.
Subject (Hamnet): 
Shakespeare, William, 1564-1616 -- Characters -- Joan of Arc, depicted.
Subject (Hamnet): 
Shakespeare, William, 1564-1616 -- Characters -- Lavinia, depicted.
Subject (Hamnet): 
Shakespeare, William, 1564-1616 -- Characters -- Margaret of Anjou, depicted.
Associated Name (Hamnet): 
Wright, John Massey, 1777-1866, artist,
Associated Name (Hamnet): 
Heath, Charles, 1785-1848.
Notes (Hamnet): 
All items are labeled as to character and play on the verso of the drawings (some labeled in pencil and some in ink). Drawings were originally matted, though mats have been removed, three segments of the mats with notes identifying the subjects of the drawings have been clipped and are encapsulated in mylar along with the drawings themselves (no.3, no.4 and no.6). The drawings measure approximately 6 7/8 x 5 1/4 in. Each item is initialed 'J.M.W. 60'. Items are highly finished and neatly executed.
Notes (Hamnet): 
Artist: Drawings were purchased as being the work of John Massey Wright which the initials on the items seem to corroborate. The items, however, are identical in design to a set of engravings attributed to John William Wright (engravings are labeled with the artist given as J.W. Wright). John William and John Massey are noted in bibliographical sources as being frequently confused with each other. Both were known to have worked for Charles Heath, the compiler of the published collection of engravings to which these designs belong. The date '60- in the drawings serves to further confuse the issue. The engravings are dated 1846 and John William Wright died in 1848. John Massey Wright was alive in 1860, though he would have been 89 years of age. The drawings have been here attributed to John William Wright, regardless of the date, due to the matching engravings and to the fact that they are dissimilar to the body of work in the Folger collection which is attributed to John Massey Wright.
Notes (Hamnet): 
History: Drawings are identical in design to six engravings which were published as a part of Charles Heath's The heroines of Shakespeare, 1848. This publication was the second of Heath's collections of Shakespeare's heroines and went into several editions, varying in size between 45 and 48 plates. Wright was responsible for 26 of these plates. For a copy of the printed work see FSL ART Inv. 142 & 143 (both copies lack title pages) or ART File under Wright, John William for separate copies (FSL copy of published work with title page is Sh. Misc. 1732).
Notes (Hamnet): 
Provenance: Items were purchased by the Folgers from Maggs Bros. in April of 1924. Maggs gave no provenance information and claimed that the works were by John Masey Wright.
Notes (Hamnet): 
Published work: Heath, Charles. The heroines of Shakespeare ... London : D. Bogue, 1848.
Notes (Hamnet): 
Subject: Items are three-quarter length portraits of the following characters: Helena from All's well (ART Box W951.5 no.1) ; Portia from Julius Caesar (no.2) ; Margaret from Henry VI, pt. 1 (no.3) ; Joan of Arc from Henry VI, part 1 (no.4) ; Lavinia from Titus Andronicus (no.5) ; and Constance from King John (no.6).
Notes (Hamnet): 
Title derived from published work.
Call Number (Hamnet): 
ART Box W951.5 no.5 (size S)