Shakespeare's Principal Characters

Stothard's Shakespeare's Principal Characters, painted in 1812, assembles the major figures from across Shakespeare's plays in a single grand composition. This ambitious work reflects the cult of Shakespeare that was central to British cultural identity, treating the playwright's fictional creations as a pantheon of national literary heroes. Stothard's encyclopedic knowledge of Shakespeare's works — gained through decades of illustrating his plays — made him uniquely qualified for this subject.

Stothard's oil-on-canvas technique arranges the many Shakespearean characters in a procession-like composition that demonstrates his skill in managing complex multi-figure designs. The elegant, linear style and varied characterizations reflect his extensive experience as a literary illustrator.