Robert Thew & John Hoppner

Shakspeare. Cymbeline. Act III, Scene IV. Near Milford Haven. Pisanio and Imogen. Pub, June 4, 1801 by J. & J. Boydell, at the Shakspeare Gallery, Pall Mall, & No. 90, Cheapside, London. Engraved by Robt. Thew, Histl. Engraver to H.R.H. the Prince of Wales. Painted by J. Hoppner R. A.

Imogen. Prithee, despatch:
The lamb entreats the butcher: Where's they knife?
Thou art too slow to do thy master's bidding,
When I desire it too.

Pisanio. O gracious lady,
Since I received command to do this business,
I have not slept one wink.

Imogen. Do 't, and to bed then.

Pisanio. I'll wake my eye-balls blind first.

Imogen. Wherefore then
Didst undertake it? Why hast thou abus'd
So many miles, with a pretence? this place?
Mine action, and thine own? our horses' labour?
The time inviting thee? the perturb'd court,
For my being absent; whereunto I never
Purpose return? Why hast thou gone so far
To be unbent when thou hast ta'en thy stand,
The elected deer before thee?

This original Robert Thew engraving was created after a painting created by John Hoppner as commissioned by Boydell for the Shakespeare Gallery to represent, Act Three, Scene Four from a play entitled, Cymbeline. Near Milford Haven. Pisanio and Imogen by William Shakespeare. This scene takes place near Milford Haven, a forest near a cave. It portrays the moment Imogen hands Pisanio the dagger. Imogen's brave words, however, create compassion and Pisanio cannot kill her. He then convinces her to disguise herself as a man in order to win back Leonatus.

In this Shakespeare's play, Cymbeline is the King of the Britons, a good man, but not particularly bright. He has two sons, Guiderius, and Arviragus, (who he believes are dead), and a daughter by his first marriage, Imogen, (now heir to the throne). The boys were kidnapped and raised in the mountains as hunters by Belarius (now known as Morgan). At one time, Belarius was one of the King's most loyal and greatest generals until he was falsely accused of treason. Twenty years have passed, Guiderius (now known as Polydore), and Arviragus (now known as Cadwall), are strong and valiant young men. The King has since taken a second wife, a beautiful, but malevolent woman. She is the mother of the dim-witted and malicious, Cloten. The Queen has no trouble manipulating the old king and is responsible for starting the war against the Romans. The king's daughter, Imogen has secretly married Posthumus Leonatus, an orphan, and a poor but worthy nobleman who was brought up in the king's court. Imogen's villainous step-mother, desires to wed her unbearable son, Cloten to Imogen, so she quickly reveals Imogen's secret wedding (elopement) and King Cymbeline has no option but to banish Posthumus to Rome. While Leonatus Posthumus is in Rome, he is given false evidence of Imogen's infidelity by Jachimo (a rogue who believes himself to be the best seducer of women and a great lover). Enraged, Leonatus, dispatches his loyal servant, Pisanio to Milford Haven and orders him to slay Imogen. Pisario is unable to fulfill his master's wishes, and persuades her to escape disguised as a man; suggesting she go to Rome, find Leonatus and convince him of her innocence. Imogen (now disguised as the youth, Fidele), is discovered in a mountain cave which just happens to be the home of the hunters, Morgan and his two sons, (her real brothers, the royal princes). The three men quickly grow fond of the lad and decide to protect him. The Queen discovers that Imogen is still alive, and sends Pisario to give her some medicine (which the Queens believes is poison, but is actually a sleeping potion). Imogen takes the potion and falls into a deep sleep, prompting the three men to believe she is dead. Back at the castle, Cloten forces Pisanio to confess where Imogen is hiding, and disguised in Leonatus's clothes goes off to the mountains in her search with intent to defile her honour. Once there, Cloten meets his death at the hands of Cymbeline's oldest son, Guiderius who places the body of the man by the dead youth, Fidele (Imogen). Then, Cymbeline's sons Guiderius, and Arviragus and Belarius go off to join the war, help defeat the Romans and save the King Cymbeline. Back in the cave, Imogen awakens, and is devastated, fearing the identity of the body by her side is Leonatus. In the end, The Queen falls ill after Cloten disappears, but before she dies confesses her wicked deeds. Jachimo (the Italian nobleman, brother of the ruler of Sienna and the rogue who accused Imogen of infidelity), was also remorseful and confesses to his lies. The true identities of Guiderius, and Arviragus, the King's sons, are revealed. Both Imogen and Leonatus live, and all is forgiven. etc. etc. This is a superb, original example of the art created by the British artists, Robert Thew and John Hoppner and the Boydell Shakespeare Gallery.

This engraving is an original 'Open Letter Proof Impression'. 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. The text below the image of this proof impression reads;

"Shakspeare. Cymbeline. Act III, Scene IV. Near Milford Haven. Pisanio and Imogen. Pub, June 4, 1801 by J. & J. Boydell, at the Shakspeare Gallery, Pall Mall, & No. 90, Cheapside, London. Engraved by Robt. Thew, Histl. Engraver to H.R.H. the Prince of Wales. Painted by J. Hoppner R. A."

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

Imo. ______ Look!
I dran the sword myself: take it, and hit
The innocent mansion of my love, my heart:
Fear not; 'tis empty of all things, but grief:
Thy master is not there; who was, indeed.
The riches of it: Do his bidding; strike.
Thou mays't be valiant in a better cause;
But now thou seem 'st a coward.

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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