Cardinal Wolsey Entering the Abbey of Leicester (Shakespeare, King Henry VIII, Act 4, Scene 2)
John Boydell launched the Shakespeare Gallery in 1786 as a publishing-cum-exhibition scheme that would include a new illustrated edition of the plays, sets of large and small engravings, and a gallery established on London's Pall Mall where the commissioned paintings could be displayed to promote subscriptions to the prints. The gallery opened in 1789 with thirty-four works then grew to about one hundred and seventy before financial difficulties caused by Napoleon's blocade of European ports forced Boydell to declare bankruptcy. In 1805 his collection was sold by lottery and its contents scattered.
Thew's engraving after Westall illustrates a dramatic moment in Act IV of "King Henry Henry VIII" where Cardinal Wolsey seeks shelter at Leicester Abbey. After he fails to obtain a divorce for the king from Catherine of Aragon he is arrested after falling ill while being escorted under arrest to London–these events follow the cardinal's failure to obtain a divorce for the king. After he enters the abby, Wolsey will die there. Westall's dynamic composition was inspired by Rubens famous painting "The Meeting of Abraham and Mechizedek" (now National Gallery of Art, Washington DC) which the artist could have known through engravings.
Thew's engraving after Westall illustrates a dramatic moment in Act IV of "King Henry Henry VIII" where Cardinal Wolsey seeks shelter at Leicester Abbey. After he fails to obtain a divorce for the king from Catherine of Aragon he is arrested after falling ill while being escorted under arrest to London–these events follow the cardinal's failure to obtain a divorce for the king. After he enters the abby, Wolsey will die there. Westall's dynamic composition was inspired by Rubens famous painting "The Meeting of Abraham and Mechizedek" (now National Gallery of Art, Washington DC) which the artist could have known through engravings.
Artwork Details
- Title: Cardinal Wolsey Entering the Abbey of Leicester (Shakespeare, King Henry VIII, Act 4, Scene 2)
- Series/Portfolio: Boydell's Shakespeare Gallery
- Engraver: Robert Thew (British, Patrington 1758–1802 Stevenage)
- Artist: After Richard Westall (British, Reepham, Norfolk 1765–1836 London)
- Publisher: John & Josiah Boydell (British, 1786–1804)
- Subject: William Shakespeare (British, Stratford-upon-Avon 1564–1616 Stratford-upon-Avon)
- Published in: London
- Date: April 23, 1798
- Medium: Stipple engraving
- Dimensions: Plate: 19 7/8 × 25 in. (50.5 × 63.5 cm)
Sheet: 20 13/16 × 27 1/16 in. (52.8 × 68.8 cm) - Classification: Prints
- Credit Line: Bequest of Christopher Monkhouse, 2021
- Object Number: 2021.166
- Curatorial Department: Drawings and Prints
More Artwork
A slider containing 5 items.
Press the down key to skip to the last item.
Press the down key to skip to the last item.
Multiple artists/makers
1855
Multiple artists/makers
first published 1796; reissued 1852
Multiple artists/makers
first published 1795; reissued 1852
Multiple artists/makers
1793
Multiple artists/makers
1796
Research Resources
The Met provides unparalleled resources for research and welcomes an international community of students and scholars. The Met's Open Access API is where creators and researchers can connect to the The Met collection. Open Access data and public domain images are available for unrestricted commercial and noncommercial use without permission or fee.
To request images under copyright and other restrictions, please use this Image Request form.
Feedback
We continue to research and examine historical and cultural context for objects in The Met collection. If you have comments or questions about this object record, please complete and submit this form. The Museum looks forward to receiving your comments.