Hamlet and Horatio in the Cemetery
- Original dimensions
- 80.5 x 99 cm
- Museum
- Städel Museum
- Year
- 1835
Scene depicted
This painting represents a poignant scene from the Shakespearean drama, where Hamlet and Horatio, lost in their thoughts, contemplate absence and mortality in a silent cemetery. The composition revolves around these two protagonists, each absorbed by the weight of tragedy, while scattered skulls remind of the inevitable fate of all beings, all under a twilight sky. The heavy and meaningful atmosphere invites reflection on life and death.
Historical context
Artwork: Hamlet and Horatio in the Cemetery |BRK| Artist: Eugène Delacroix |BRK| Year: 1835 |BRK| Museum: Städel Museum |BRK| Dimensions: 80.5 x 99 cm |BRK| Major Exhibitions: Delacroix (1798-1863) |BRK|
Anecdote
Delacroix once declared: “Art must not only represent the visible but also reveal the invisible.” This quote resonates as an echo of his inspiration, found one autumn morning in an ancient alley, where he stumbled upon a dark and mysterious tombstone. This chance encounter brought to life the emotional depth of the canvas , revealing melancholy and reflection on death.
Major exhibitions
Delacroix (1798-1863)