Falstaff Instructing Bardolph 1825

Robert Smirke created this sketch, "Falstaff Instructing Bardolph," during a period in the late 18th and early 19th centuries when Shakespearean themes were extremely popular in British art and theater. Smirke, like many artists of his era, drew inspiration from Shakespeare's plays, finding in them a rich tapestry of human experience to explore. The painting depicts a scene from Henry IV, Part 1, where Falstaff, the famously corpulent and comical knight, seems to be imparting wisdom to his companion Bardolph. What makes this sketch interesting is how it engages with notions of leadership and instruction, filtered through the lens of class and social standing. Falstaff, though a knight, is portrayed as a figure of excess and indulgence, subverting traditional heroic archetypes. Smirke's sketch invites us to consider the complexities of human relationships and social roles. It’s a commentary on the social norms of the time and asks us to consider the ways in which character and identity are shaped by societal expectations.