Jacques and the Wounded Stag (Shakespeare, As You Like It, Act 2, Scene 1) 1830

David Lucas created this mezzotint print, Jacques and the Wounded Stag, based on Shakespeare’s ‘As You Like It’. The scene unfolds through Lucas's dramatic use of light and shadow. Dense, dark foliage dominates the upper portion, giving way to a clearing where light reflects off a stream. This contrast immediately draws your eye to the wounded stag drinking from the stream. The composition uses the dense forest as a framing device, heightening the sense of drama. Note how Lucas employs texture to differentiate between the rough bark of the trees and the smooth water surface, each enhancing the emotional depth of the scene. Lucas’s skilled manipulation of light and dark mirrors the play’s themes of courtly artifice versus natural authenticity. The dark, almost oppressive forest setting challenges idealized pastoral landscapes. The wounded stag becomes a powerful symbol of vulnerability set against nature’s indifference. This print is not simply an illustration but a profound meditation on humanity's place within the natural order, rendered with exceptional formal acuity.