Artwork
H Beard Print Collection
H Beard Print Collection is a print by the Romanticist artist Richard James A.R.A. Lane. It dates from 1 and is held in the collection of the Victoria and Albert Museum. This 1838 portrait print presents the actor Charles Kemble in the role of Cassio from Shakespeare’s *Othello*.
About this work
This print shows actor Charles Kemble playing Cassio in Shakespeare’s *Othello*. It’s a portrait print made in 1838 by Richard James Lane. That year the print was published by J. Mitchell.
Lane was part of the Romantic movement, so the style feels dramatic and emotional rather than stiff. The print captures one famous moment on stage.
Look up the Victoria and Albert Museum.
Overview
This 1838 portrait print presents the actor Charles Kemble in the role of Cassio from Shakespeare’s *Othello*. Executed by the engraver Richard James Lane and issued by the publisher J. Mitchell, the image captures a single stage moment, rendering the performer’s likeness within the context of a well‑known theatrical scene.
Subject & Meaning
The work depicts Kemble embodying Cassio, the loyal lieutenant whose betrayal becomes a pivotal plot device in *Othello*. By isolating this character, the print emphasizes themes of honor, jealousy, and the precariousness of reputation, reflecting the 19th‑century fascination with Shakespearean drama and its moral complexities.
Technique & Style
Lane employed line engraving, a common printmaking method of the period, to achieve fine tonal variation and crisp detail. Influenced by Romantic aesthetics, the composition conveys heightened emotion through dramatic contrasts of light and shadow, lending the figure a sense of immediacy that departs from the more restrained neoclassical approach.
History & Provenance
The image was released in 1838 by the London firm J. Mitchell, a publisher known for theatrical prints. It entered the Victoria and Albert Museum’s collection as part of its extensive holdings of 19th‑century performance ephemera, documenting both Kemble’s career and the broader cultural interest in stage portraiture.
Artist & collection
Artist
Printmaker active around the 1830s and 1840s, Richard James A.R.A. Lane turned out small, detailed prints that were sold in batches—one dated 25 July 1831 shows a London street scene, another from 15 February 1839…
