Artwork
John Palmer Junior as the Earl of Warwick
John Palmer Junior as the Earl of Warwick is a print by the Romanticist artist Charles Grignion. It dates from 4 and is held in the collection of the Victoria and Albert Museum. The print portrays actor John Palmer in the role of the Earl of Warwick from Shakespeare’s Henry VI, Part III.
About this work
This print shows John Palmer dressed as the Earl of Warwick in a Shakespeare play. Charles Grignion made it in 1776, using ink on paper. John Bell published it in London the same day.
The costume includes a cummerbund, a wide fabric belt worn around the waist. This print was part of a series of Shakespeare character portraits.
Check out more works at the Victoria and Albert Museum.
Overview
The print portrays actor John Palmer in the role of the Earl of Warwick from Shakespeare’s Henry VI, Part III. Executed in ink on paper, it was issued by the London publisher John Bell on 4 January 1776 and now resides in the Harry Beard Collection.
Subject & Meaning
Palmer is shown in the period costume of the historical Earl, emphasizing the theatrical interpretation of the character. The image serves as a visual record of 18th‑century stage costume and the actor’s embodiment of a Shakespearean noble.
Technique & Style
The work was created by the engraver Charles Grignion, who employed fine ink lines to render details of fabric and facial expression. The composition highlights the cummerbund—a broad waist belt—typical of the costume design for the role.
Context
This print belongs to a larger series of portrait prints depicting actors in Shakespearean roles, a popular genre in the late 1700s that catered to both theatrical audiences and collectors interested in literary subjects.
Artist & collection
Artist
Charles Grignion the Elder (1721–1810) was a British engraver and draughtsman. Grignion was born in London to Huguenot refugees. He was a prolific historical engraver and book illustrator. He studied in London at…
