Mr. Dyott as Leontes: "I have drank and seen the Spider" (Winter's Tale, Act 2, Scene 1) 1855

Robert Thew created this engraving of Mr. Dyott as Leontes using etching and stipple techniques. The composition, framed by an ornate oval, presents a theatrical moment of high drama, evoking a sense of royal paranoia. The artist uses hatching and varied stipple to define form and texture. The strategic placement of light and shadow accentuates Leontes's figure, drawing us into his psychological state. This chiaroscuro not only models his form, but also amplifies the emotional intensity of the scene. Note the use of line, particularly in the drapery and the ornamental frame, which provides a complex interplay of movement and stasis. Through the formal choices in the print, we are invited to consider how the artist uses visual language to interpret themes of jealousy, power, and deception. Thew destabilizes the conventional portrait, turning it into a study of emotional excess. The print prompts us to question how the formal elements of the artwork can challenge and redefine our understanding of human behaviour within a narrative context.