Beatrice
John Hamilton Mortimer · March 15, 1776 (originally published); published 1809 · Art Institute of Chicago
Guide
Adjust the guideNew to it · Medium
Looking for this guide.
From the museum
In Shakespeare’s Much Ado about Nothing, Beatrice and Benedick are the leading not-quite-lovers, whose verbal sparring delights both the audience and the other characters as their professed mutual hatred turns to love. In this etching, John Hamilton Mortimer captured both the pride and humor of the female half of this pair. The merry Beatrice seems to be caught in mid-repartee, with her mouth slightly open; Benedick has just inquired if his “dear Lady Disdain” is “yet living.” She laughingly responds with the jab quoted below the image.
The museum’s own description, in English. Licence: CC BY 4.0
What did you think?
Save this work’s image and museum information on this device to read without a connection.
Ask about this work
Ask in your own words. The answer comes from what the museum has written about the work, and says so when that does not hold it.
Details
- Maker
- John Hamilton Mortimer, English, 1740-1779
- Date
- March 15, 1776 (originally published); published 1809
- Medium
- Etching on cream wove paper
- Dimensions
- Plate: 40.2 × 42.4 cm (15 7/8 × 16 3/4 in.); Sheet: 59.6 × 43.7 cm (23 1/2 × 17 1/4 in.)
- Place of origin
- England
- Held by
- Art Institute of Chicago, Chicago · Not on view
- Credit line
- Mary S. Adams Endowment
Image: Art Institute of Chicago, CC0
