Georg Sigmund Facius, Johann Gottlieb Facius & William Miller

Aqua Fortis. Publish'd May 1, 1789, by Jn. & Josiah Boydell. No. 90. Cheapside & No. 59, Pall Mall, London. Shakspeare. G. S. & I. G. Facius Sculpt. Miller Pinxit. (Romeo and Juliet. Act I, Scene V. A Hall in Capulet's House. Romeo, Juliet, Nurse, with Guests etc.)

Romeo: If I profane with my unworthiest hand.
[To Juliet.

This holy shrine, the gentle fine is this, -
My lips two blushing pilgrims, ready stand
To smooth that rough touch with a tender kiss.

Juliet: Good pilgrim, you do wrong your hand too much,
Which mannerly devotion shows in this;
For saints have hands that pilgrims' hands do touch,
And palm to palm is holy palmers, kiss.

Romeo: Have not saints lips, and holy palmers too?

Juliet: Ay, pilgrim, lips that they must use in prayer.

Romeo: O then, dear saint, let lips do what hands do;
They pray, grant thou, lest faith turn to despair.

Juliet: Saints do not move, though grant for prayers'
sake.

Romeo: Then move not, while my prayers' effect I take.
Thus from my lips, by thine my sin is purg'd.
[Kissing her.

This original engraving is based upon a William Shakespeare play, Romeo and Juliet: Act One, Scene Five. In this scene Romeo, a handsome, virtuous, but impetuous young man arrives at Capulet's house for the feast. When Romeo detects the beautiful young Juliet, for the first time, he falls deeply in love. The revelry is now in full force with music, dancing and joy all around. Romeo, Juliet, her nurse and other guests are in a hallway of Capulet's house, well away from the clamour of the merriment taking place in the background. Romeo is captivated by her beauty and expresses his adulation in sonnets. The young, impressionable and inexperienced Juliet, appears confused, but delighted with her new suitor. She replies with grace, then teases him with words of affection and her newfound love. (The text above includes a portion of their conversation, just before the first kiss.). The nurse ends the scene by sending Juliet away in search of her mother, Lady Capulet. So enraptured were the young lovers that both forgot to mention their names or families, details which are sadly made known to them by Juliet's nurse; Juliet is a Capulet and Romeo is a Montague, two feuding and rival families. Shakespearean characters in this play include, Prince Escalus, ruler of Verona, and the home of the two warring families, the Montagues and the Capulets (Montague, is the head of his family, Romeo's father and Capulet is the head of his family, Juliet's father.). Tibalt is Capulet's quarrelsome nephew who in anger challenges Romeo to a duel, but when Mercutio, Romeo's friend and the King's kinsman intervenes, Mercutio is killed, leaving Romeo little option put to kill Tibalt. Paris is Mercutio's relative, and Juliet's suitor, soon to be her husband, but learns of her sudden death and goes to her tomb, where he discovers Romeo; they duel and Paris is killed. Friar Lawrence is the well meaning confessor of the young lovers, he is responsible for the unsuccessful fake suicide plot. A plan that failed due to Friar John's inability to deliver an important message to Romeo on time. Benvolio is Romeo's cousin and his good friend. Petruchio, is Tibalt's friend, he was present at his duel. etc. etc. This is a striking example of the British art by the Facius brothers & Francis Wheatley, & the Boydell Shakespeare Gallery.

This original engraving is a 'Proof Before Title Impression'. 2. 'Proofs Before Title'. These impressions usually contain the names of the artist, publisher and engraver along the lower margin. They lack the title of the specific play depicted and usually the heading -- 'Shakspeare' -- is smaller than in the published edition. Once again, this state was printed in a very small numbers. The text below the image of this open letter proof before title impression' reads; "Aqua Fortis. Publish'd May 1, 1789, by Jn. & Josiah Boydell. No. 90. Cheapside & No. 59, Pall Mall, London. Shakspeare. G. S. & I. G. Facius Sculpt. Miller Pinxit.".

Note: As this is an original proof impression, it lacks the following text that appears in later impressions.

"Shakspeare. Romeo and Juliet. Act I, Scene V. Pubd. Jany. 2: 1792 by John & Josiah Boydell, at Shakspeare Gallery Pall Mall, & No. 90. in Cheapside, London. Engraved by G. S. & I. G. Facius. Painted by Wm. MIller.

Rom: If I profane with my unworthiest hand.
[To Juliet.
This holy shrine, the gentle fine is this___
My lips, two blushing pilgrims, ready stand
To smooth that rough touch with a tender kiss."

An Important Note on Boydell States and Editions: Proof impressions and true first edition impressions are easily identified by their fine lines and strong contrasts of black and white tones. Later more common editions print in a more overall grey tone and contain areas of re-working. Briefly, the publishing history of these great engravings can be categorized into five states or editions:

1. 'Artist's Proofs'. These are the earliest of states and were printed in only a handful of impressions. They are identified not only by their vibrant lines and tones but by the fact that they lack any letters along the lower margin.
2. 'Proofs Before Title'. These impressions usually contain the names of the artist, publisher and engraver along the lower margin. They lack the title of the specific play depicted and usually the heading -- 'Shakspeare' -- is smaller than in the published edition. Once again, this state was printed in a very small numbers.
3. 'Open Letter Proofs'. These impressions bear the title of the play. the heading, 'Shakspeare' (Shakespeare), is yet to be filled in with stippling. These impressions were printed before the publication of the first edition and were probably struck from the plate at a customer's request. Perhaps ten to twenty Open Letter Proofs exist for each engraving.
4. 'First Edition Impressions'. The completed set of Boydell's Shakespeare engravings was published in London in 1803. The full publisher's address appears along the lower margin as well as the text for the play. The heading, 'Shakspeare', is now filled in with stippling. Both first edition impressions and proofs were most often printed on either hand-made, laid paper or wove paper bearing the 'J. Whatman' watermark.
5. 'Posthumous Impressions and Restrikes' As early as 1807, John Stockdale of London issued a second edition of the Shakespeare prints. They continued to be published throughout the first half of the nineteenth century. Finally, in 1852, an enterprising dentist in New York City (with the delightful name of Shearjashub Spooner) acquired the plates, restored them and produced the last edition. These prints are most commonly offered for sale.

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