"If I do die before thee, pr'ythee shroud me in one of those same sheets": plate 8 from Othello (Act 4, Scene 3) 1844

Théodore Chassériau created this print, plate 8 from Othello, sometime in the mid-19th century. Chassériau was a key figure in French Romanticism, who often drew on literary and historical themes, imbuing them with emotional intensity. Here, Desdemona appears in a moment of vulnerability. Chassériau uses the visual language of the time: the delicate lines and soft shading evoke a sense of melancholy and foreboding, tapping into the audience’s understanding of the tragic narrative. This image can be understood within the wider cultural context of 19th-century France, a period marked by political upheaval. Artists like Chassériau contributed to the project of nation building by visualizing stories that were considered to be part of its cultural heritage. In the archive, we can find out much more about the print, the artist, and the institutions that have promoted his work. By exploring these sources, we can better understand the social and cultural values that shaped his art and the role it played in French society.