Falstaff with Mrs. Ford and Mrs. Page (Shakespeare, The Merry Wives of Windsor, Act 5, Scene 5) 1790

Henry Fuseli made this pen and brown ink drawing of Falstaff with Mrs. Ford and Mrs. Page at the turn of the 19th century. Fuseli, who was born in Switzerland but spent much of his career in Britain, had a passion for literature and theater that fueled his artistic imagination. This drawing, now in New York, depicts a scene from Shakespeare's "The Merry Wives of Windsor," a comedy that satirizes social ambition and class pretensions. The play would have been staged in London's playhouses. Fuseli's energetic and expressive lines capture the chaotic and farcical nature of the play, reflecting the cultural fascination with Shakespearean drama during that period. By studying Fuseli's drawing alongside historical accounts of theater productions and literary criticism, we gain insight into the social and cultural values of late 18th and early 19th century Britain. Art, here, serves as a window into the past, reflecting the tastes, interests, and concerns of its time.