Marc Anthony's Funeral Oration for Julius Cesar c. 19th century

Gustave Doré made this print of Marc Anthony’s funeral oration for Julius Caesar in nineteenth-century France. It depicts a scene from Shakespeare’s play Julius Caesar. Doré’s image conveys meaning through visual codes that were current in his own time. The artist’s choice of subject reflects a nineteenth-century fascination with classical history and literature, which was often used to comment on contemporary social and political issues. The print also reflects the institutional history of art and literature. Shakespeare's plays were widely studied and performed in schools and theaters. Doré’s choice to illustrate a scene from Julius Caesar suggests his ambition to engage with the canon of great literature. To understand this artwork better, one might research the history of classical education in nineteenth-century France, the reception of Shakespeare’s plays in France, and the political context in which Doré was working. By exploring these resources, we can gain a deeper appreciation of the complex social and institutional forces that shaped the creation and reception of this print.