Illustrations to Shakespeare Pl.004 (19th century)

John Massey Wright prints bring Shakespeare's plays to life in small, graceful pictures: Romeo and Juliet at the balcony, Bottom with his ass's head, Falstaff at the tavern, Viola and Sebastian reunited. Wright was an English watercolour painter whose reputation rests on these little scenes from Shakespeare and other poets. Our collection of fine art prints includes more than two hundred of his Shakespeare illustrations and drawings.

About John Massey Wright

John Massey Wright was born at Pentonville, London, on 14 October 1777, the son of an organ-builder. He was apprenticed to his father's trade but disliked it, and was allowed to follow his love of art instead. As a boy he watched the painter Thomas Stothard at work in his studio; otherwise he was self-taught.

From about 1810 he worked with Henry Aston Barker on the great panoramas shown in the Strand, painting the battles of Corunna, Vitoria and Waterloo, and he was for a time a scene-painter at the opera house. He exhibited at the Royal Academy from 1812 to 1818, became an associate of the Watercolour Society in 1824 and a full member in 1825, and showed there for the rest of his life.

His drawings were widely engraved for annuals such as the Literary Souvenir and Forget-me-not, and for editions of Scott and Burns. He worked hard but was poorly paid, and in his last years received a small pension from the Watercolour Society. He died on 13 May 1866.

Style and Subjects

Wright's Shakespeare scenes are small compositions full of movement and feeling, drawn in the elegant manner of Stothard. Figures in period costume gesture and turn towards one another, and the settings, a garden, a tavern or a moonlit balcony, are sketched lightly around them.

His experience as a panorama and theatre painter shows in the way he stages each moment like a scene on a stage. The watercolours are soft and delicate, and many of the store's prints come from engraved series of his Shakespeare designs.

Famous Works

• A Scene from Romeo and Juliet: the Balcony Scene. The most famous moment in the play.
• Bottom Transformed, A Midsummer Night's Dream (1831). Bottom with his ass's head among the fairies.
• Sebastian and Viola before Olivia's House, Twelfth Night. The twins reunited at last.
• Prince Arthur Pleading with Hubert, King John. The young prince begs for his life.
• Illustrations to Shakespeare's Falstaff Plays, Plate 3. Shakespeare's great comic knight.
• Heroines of Shakespeare, Plate 6 (1860). From a series of Shakespeare's heroines.
• Scenes from Macbeth. Moments from the Scottish play.

Decorating with Wright Prints

Wright's Shakespeare scenes are a natural fit for a library, study or reading corner, and they make a thoughtful gift for theatre lovers, actors and English teachers. Group several scenes from one play, or a single scene from each of your favourites.

Their small scale and soft colours suit a hallway, staircase or bedroom, hung close together in a tight gallery. Thin gold or black frames with a generous cream mat give them the look of a Regency print room.

FAQ

Who was John Massey Wright?

John Massey Wright (1777–1866) was an English watercolour painter best known for his many small illustrations of Shakespeare and other poets.

How is his name spelled?

Both "Massey" and "Masey" appear. English Wikipedia uses "John Masey Wright"; our store uses "John Massey Wright".

Who influenced John Massey Wright?

Thomas Stothard, whom he watched at work as a boy. His Shakespeare scenes are in Stothard's manner.

Did Wright paint anything besides book illustrations?

Yes. He painted battle scenes for Henry Aston Barker's panoramas in London, including Waterloo, and worked as a scene-painter at the opera house.

Was John Massey Wright a member of the Watercolour Society?

Yes. He became an associate in 1824 and a full member in 1825, and exhibited there regularly for the rest of his life.

Related Artists

• Thomas Stothard: the painter whose studio he watched and whose manner he followed
• Robert Smirke: English painter of literary and Shakespeare scenes
• Richard Westall: illustrator of Shakespeare and the poets of the same era
• Henry Fuseli: painter of dramatic Shakespeare subjects