Johann Heinrich Ramberg, 1763–1840, German, active in Britain (1781–88)
Title:
Olivia, Maria and Malvolio from "Twelfth Night," Act III, Scene iv
Date:
1789
Materials & Techniques:
Oil on canvas
Dimensions:
62 1/8 x 86 7/8 inches (157.8 x 220.7 cm)
Credit Line:
Yale Center for British Art, Paul Mellon Fund
Copyright Status:
Public Domain
Accession Number:
B1975.5.21
Gallery Label:
Ramberg shows the moment when Malvolio ostentatiously declares his love for Olivia, unaware that he has fallen into the trap of Sir Toby Belch, Sir Andrew Aguecheek, and Feste, who hide behind the screen. The model for Olivia was the famous actress Mrs. Siddons. This scene from "Twelfth Night" was one of the earliest commissions for Boydell's Shakespeare Gallery, a permanent exhibition of paintings of scenes from Shakespeare's plays that opened to the public in 1789. The mastermind behind this gallery was a print publisher, John Boydell; he commissioned each painting specifically from the most celebrated artists of the day and hoped to make a further success by publishing prints from the works exhibited. Though for some years one of the sights of London, the gallery foundered financially and the collection was eventually dispersed. Gallery label for installation of YCBA collection, 2002
