Michele Beneditte and Henry William Bunbury - Falstaff at Hern's Oak Shakespeare Merry wives of Windsor Act V Scene V

Falstaff at Hern's Oak (Shakespeare: Merry Wives of Windsor, Act V, Scene V)

Michele Beneditte's "Falstaff at Hern's Oak" is an original engraving and etching based upon a design by the British artist, Henry William Bunbury. It is undoubtedly one of the most famous Shakespearean engravings of the eighteenth century. "Falstaff at Hern's Oak" depicts a scene from William Shakespeare's, Merry Wives of Windsor, Act V, Scene V. Sandwiched between two fashionable beauties, the wonderfully comic figure of Falstaff has never been better portrayed. This impression is printed upon late 18th century wove paper and with full margins as created in 1793 by Michele Beneditte for the Bunbury Shakespeare prints commissioned by Thomas Macklin, Poets Gallery, Fleet St., London, and bears the full title, "Falstaff at Hern's Oak", the Shakespeare play and scene, "Vide Merry wives of Windsor, Act 5, Sc. 5", the date of publication and publisher's address, "London, Publish'd May 30th. 1793, by Thos'. Macklin, Poets Gallery, Fleet St.", & the artists' names, "Beneditte Sculp." & "H. Bunbury Esq. del." along the lower plate mark. The dedication below the title reads; "From an original drawing in the collection of Her Royal Highness the Dutchess of York, to whom this plate is humbly dedicated by her Royal Highness's most Gracious Humbley Permission Dedicated by Her most Obed. Serv. Thos. Macklin. This engraving stands as a fine, original example of late 18th century British art and the entraved art by the British artist, Michele Beneditte.

Original Stipple Engraving and Etching by the British artist, Michele Beneditte 'Benedetti' designed by Henry William Bunbury.

Falstaff at Hern's Oak Shakespeare Merry wives of Windsor Act V Scene V Original Stipple Engraving and Etching by the British artist Michele Beneditte Benedetti designed by Henry William Bunbury

Falstaff at Hern's Oak from William Shakespeare's, Merry wives of Windsor, Act V, Scene V (Bunbury's Shakespeare, published by Thomas Macklin, Poets Gallery, Fleet St., London)

View other original etchings designed by Henry William Bunbury 'Henry Bunbury'.

Henry William Bunbury (British, 1750 - 1811)
#	Image	Title & Artists	Medium	Date	Engraver/Etcher	Notes	-
01.-		A Militia Meeting by James Bretherton designed by Henry William Bunbury	Original Etching	1793	James Bretherton (London, active, 1770 - 1790)	James Bretherton, London, inscribed, "A Militia Meeting. H W Bunbury delin. J. Bretherton f. Publish'd as the Act directs 2nd Jan 1793. By J. Bretherton No 134 New Bond Street"
02.-		Dogbery and Verges with the Watch (Shakespeare: Much Ado about Nothing, Act III, Scene II), by Robert Mitchell Meadows designed by Henry William Bunbury	Original Stipple Engraving	1794	Robert Mitchell Meadows (British, Cardigan, Wales 1750 – 1812)	Thomas Macklin, Poets Gallery, Fleet St., London, William Bunbury's 'Shakespeare', inscribed, "Dogbery and Verges with the Watch", "R. M. Meadows Sculpt." & "H. Bunbury Esq. del.", the publication line, "London, Publish'd Jany, 1st. 1794, by Thos'. Macklin, Poets Gallery, Fleet St.", & with the printed dedication by Thos. Macklin to Her Royal Highness the Duchess of York.
03.-		Falstaff at Hern's Oak (Shakespeare: Merry wives of Windsor, Act V, Scene V), by Michele Beneditte designed by Henry William Bunbury	Original Stipple Engraving and Etching	1793	Michele Beneditte (St. Viterbo, 1745 - Vienna, 1810)	Thomas Macklin, Poets Gallery, Fleet St., London, William Bunbury's 'Shakespeare', inscribed, "Falstaff at Hern's Oak", the Shakespeare play and scene, "Vide Merry wives of Windsor, Act 5, Sc. 5", "London, Publish'd May 30th. 1793, by Thos'. Macklin, Poets Gallery, Fleet St.", "Beneditte Sculp." & "H. Bunbury Esq. del.", and with the dedication line to Her Royal Highness the Dutchess of York.	Sold
04.-		Falstaff Reproved by King Henry (Shakespeare: King Henry the Fifth, Part II), by Shenner designed by Henry William Bunbury	Original Stipple Engraving	1792	Shenner (British, active late 18th century)	Thomas Macklin, Poets Gallery, Fleet St., London, William Bunbury's 'Shakespeare', inscribed "Falstaff Reproved by King Henry", "Vide 2nd Part, Henry IV, Act V, Sc. 8", "London, Publish'd June 1, 1792, by Thos'. Macklin, Poets Gallery, Fleet St.", &, Shenner Sculpt." & "H. Bunbury Esq. delint.", and with the dedication to Her Royal Highness the Dutchess of York.
05.-		Florizel & Autolicus, exchange garments (Shakespeare: Winter's Tale, Act, IV, Scene II), by Francesco Bartolozzi and Benjamin Duterrow designed by Henry William Bunbury	Original Stipple Engraving and Etching	1794	Francesco Bartolozzi (Florence, Italy, 1727 - Lisbon, Portugal, 1815) & Duterrau, Benjamin (1767 - 1851)	Thomas Macklin, Poets Gallery, Fleet St., London, William Bunbury's 'Shakespeare', inscribed, "Florizel & Autolicus, exchange garments", "Duterrow sculpt._F. Bartolozzi R. A. directed." & "H. Bunbury Esq. delt.", the publication line, "London, Publish'd May 24th, 1794, by Thos'. Macklin, Poets Gallery, Fleet St.", & with the printed dedication by Thos. Macklin to Her Royal Highness the Duchess of York.	Sold
06.-		Fluellen Making Pistol Eat the Leek (Shakespeare: King Henry the Fifth, Act V, Scene I), by Robert Mitchell Meadows designed by Henry William Bunbury	Original Stipple Engraving	1795	Robert Mitchell Meadows (British, Cardigan, Wales 1750 – 1812)	Thomas Macklin, Poets Gallery, Fleet St., London, William Bunbury's 'Shakespeare', inscribed, "Fluellen Making Pistol Eat the Leek", "Meadows Sculp," & "H. Bunbury Esq. del.", "London, Publish'd August 1, 1795, by Thos'. Macklin, Poets Gallery, Fleet St.", and The Shakespeare lines for the scene.
07.-		Helena in The Dress of a Pilgrim (Shakespeare: All's Well that Ends Well, Act III, Scene V), by John Chapman by Henry William Bunbury	Original Stipple Engraving and Etching	1792	John Chapman (London, active, 1787 - 1811)	Thomas Macklin, London, William Bunbury's Shakespeare, inscribed, "Helena in The Dress of a Pilgrim", "Vide All's well that ends well, Act 3, Sc. 5", the artists' names, "I. Chapman Sculp," & "H. Bunbury Esq. del.", the publication line,"London, Publish'd Decr. 30, 1792, by Thos'. Macklin, Poets Gallery, Fleet St.", & with the printed dedication by Thos. Macklin to Her Royal Highness the Duchess of York.	Sold
08.-		Prospero Disarming Ferdinand (Shakespeare: The Tempest, Act I, Scene II), by Francesco Bartolozzi designed by Henry William Bunbury	Original Stipple Engraving and Etching	1793	Francesco Bartolozzi (Florence, Italy, 1727 - Lisbon, Portugal, 1815)	Thomas Macklin, London, William Bunbury's 'Shakespeare', inscribed, "Prospero Disarming Ferdinand", "Vide Act 1, Sc. 2, Tempest", "F. Bartolozzi Esqr. Sculpt." & "H. Bunbury Esq. del.", the publication line, "London, Publish'd June 20, 1793, by Thos'. Macklin, Poets Gallery, Fleet St.", & with the printed dedication by Thos. Macklin to Her Royal Highness the Duchess of York.	Sold
09.-		The Shaver and the Shavee by Charles Bretherton designed by Henry William Bunbury	Original Etching	c. 1780 (2d Ed: 1804)	Charles Bretherton (London, 1760 - 1783)	S. W. Fores in London, inscribed, "The Shaver and The Shavee. H W Bunbury delin. Cha.s Bretherton Jun.r f. Publish'd as the Act directs April 1772. By J. Bretherton No 134 New Bond Street"
10.-		The Supposed Death of Imogen (Shakespeare: Cymbeline, Act IV Scene IV), by Thomas Cheesman designed by Henry William Bunbury	Original Stipple Engraving and Etching	1792	Thomas Cheesman (London, 1760 - 1834)	Thomas Macklin, Poets Gallery, Fleet St., London, William Bunbury's 'Shakespeare', inscribed, "The Supposed Death of Imogen", "Vide Cymbeline Act 4 Sc. 4", "T. Cheesman Sculpt." & "H. Bunbury Esq. Inv.t, ", the publication line, "London, Publish'd June 1, 1792, by Thos'. Macklin, Poets Gallery, Fleet St.", & with the printed dedication by Thos. Macklin to Her Royal Highness the Duchess of York.	Sold

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Title:	Falstaff at Hern's Oak (Shakespeare: Merry Wives of Windsor, Act V, Scene V)
Engraver:	Beneditte, Michele (St. Viterbo, 1745 - Vienna, 1810)
Designer:	Bunbury, Henry William (Mildenhall, UK, 1750 - Keswick, UK, 1811)
Date:	May 30, 1793
Medium:	Original Stipple Engraving and Etching
Publisher:	Thomas Macklin, Poets Gallery, Fleet St., London
Source:	Macklin's Poets Gallery
Series:	Bunbury's Shakespeare
Note:	Michele Beneditte: (also spelled, 'Benedetti') was born in Italy and produced his first etchings and engravings there. He came to London around 1783 to study the stippling technique under Francesco Bartolozzi. In England, Michele Beneditte created engravings after various artists and was commissioned by Thomas Macklin for his Shakespeare series. In the early nineteenth century Beneditte moved to Vienna.
	Henry William Bunbury & Thomas Macklin: Henry William Bunbury (Mildenhall, UK, 1750 - Keswick, UK, 1811) was the son of Sir William Bunbury of Mildenhall, Suffolk. After completing his studies at Cambridge University he began to draw caricatures and other comic subjects, the first of which were etched and published in 1771. Bunbury then quickly rose to become one of the greatest satirical artists of the day with his etchings such as the series entitled, Hints to Bad Horsemen. He also became close friends with the great artist, Thomas Rowlandson, who later engraved many of Bunbury's designs. Throughout his career, Henry Bunbury enjoyed the patronage of the Duke of York who appointed him his Equerry in 1787. One should take note that this original stipple engraving and etching is dedicated to the Duchess of York.
	Henry Bunbury's largest and most ambitious compositions were commissioned by the London publisher of engravings, Thomas Macklin (British, c. 1752 – 1800, London). Macklin created 'The Poet's Gallery' (1788-1799), which became England's second largest publishing house next to John Boydell's 'Shakespeare Gallery'. During the 1780's and 1790's Boydell - then Lord Mayor of London - had embarked upon the most exhaustive publishing venture in the history of British art; the over one hundred large engravings dealing with Shakespearean themes. These were epic works of art concentrating mainly upon the great history and tragedy plays such as Macbeth, Hamlet and King Lear. Macklin responded to Boydell's series by issuing his own Shakespeare etchings from 1792 to 1796. These works of art, however, were significantly different from Boydell's grandiose engravings. All of these original engravings were based upon Shakespeare plays and were to be published in twelve numbers, each containing four prints with the option of purchasing proof impressions or regular impressions, in colour or in black and white. The entire series was to consist of forty-eight original etchings and engravings designed by Henry William Bunbury, who chose mostly to depict the lighter or more comic elements in the plays of Shakespeare. Thus plays such as Alls Well that Ends Well and The Merry Wives of Windsor figure prominently, and the greatest comic character, Falstaff, is represented on several occasions.
	These large etchings and stipple engravings were created either by Thomas Macklin himself or by some of the most famous engravers of the period, such as Francesco Bartolozzi, John Chapman, Robert Mitchell Meadows, Tomkins, Shenner, Thomas Cheesman, Vandenburg and others. The 1790's decade was the golden era of the stipple engraving, where the artist employed masses of dots or flicks to create the most delicate tonal values. The Bunbury-Macklin Shakespeare engravings represent the best of this famous artistic technique. This original Michele Beneditte engraving depicts a scene from William Shakespeare's, Merry wives of Windsor, Act V, Scene V. This engraving bears the full title, "Falstaff at Hern's Oak", the Shakespeare play and scene, "Vide Merry wives of Windsor, Act 5, Sc. 5", the date of publication and publisher's address, "London, Publish'd May 30th. 1793, by Thos'. Macklin, Poets Gallery, Fleet St.", & the artists' names, "Beneditte Sculp." & "H. Bunbury Esq. del." along the lower plate mark. The dedication below the title reads; "From an original drawing in the collection of Her Royal Highness the Dutchess of York, to whom this plate is humbly dedicated by her Royal Highness's most Gracious Humbley Permission Dedicated by Her most Obed. Serv. Thos. Macklin.
	Falstaff at Hern's Oak is undoubtedly one of the most famous Shakespearean engravings of the eighteenth century, it depicts a scene from William Shakespeare's, Merry Wives of Windsor, Act V, Scene VIII. Sandwiched between two fashionable beauties, the wonderfully comic figure of Falstaff has never been better portrayed. It stands as a fine, original example of late 18th century British art. The Victoria and Albert Museum (V&A) includes an impression of Falstaff at Hern's Oak (Shakespeare: Merry Wives of Windsor, Act V, Scene V) in its collection (Accession Number: S.23-2009). The Metropolitan Museum of Art (MET) also includes an impression of Falstaff at Hern's Oak in its collection (Accession Number: 2018.131).
Size:	16 1/2 X 18 3/4 (Sizes in inches are approximate, height preceding width of plate-mark or image.)
	Framed and Matted with 100% Archival Materials
Condition:	Printed upon late 18th century wove paper and with full margins as created in 1793 by Michele Beneditte for the Bunbury Shakespeare prints commissioned by Thomas Macklin, Poets Gallery, Fleet St., London, and bears the full title, "Falstaff at Hern's Oak", the Shakespeare play and scene, "Vide Merry wives of Windsor, Act 5, Sc. 5", "Beneditte Sculp." & "H. Bunbury Esq. del." and the publication lines, "London, Publish'd May 30th. 1793, by Thos'. Macklin, Poets Gallery, Fleet St.", along the lower plate mark, and with the dedication line to Her Royal Highness the Dutchess of York. Very slight foxing appears in the upper margins, else a brilliantly printed, early impression and in fine condition throughout. Falstaff at Hern's Oak stands as a prime, original example of late eighteenth century British art.
Price:	Sold - The price is no longer available.
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Michele Beneditte & Henry William Bunbury

Falstaff at Hern's Oak (Shakespeare: Merry Wives of Windsor, Act V, Scene V)