Lear
- Medium
- Etching on cream wove paper
- Dimensions
- Plate: 40.3 × 32 cm (15 7/8 × 12 5/8 in.); Sheet: 58.7 × 44.4 cm (23 1/8 × 17 1/2 in.)
- Genre
- etching
- Museum
- Art Institute of Chicago
Tags
literatureprints and drawingsprintprints and drawingking learetchingpaper (fiber product)
About
Part of the same series of heads that includes the image of Beatrice, this work depicts the crazed King Lear as he gazes skyward. His eyes bulge and his hair whips about his face as he considers his own misdeeds and tragedy. John Hamilton Mortimer expertly captured the despair and loss of control Lear feels in this moment. The old king cries out the monologue quoted below the image.
