Hamlet Sees the Ghost of his Father 1843

Eugène Delacroix created this lithograph depicting a scene from Shakespeare's Hamlet sometime during his career as a leading figure in the French Romantic movement. Delacroix turned to literature for emotional and historical inspiration. He used lithography to capture the drama of Hamlet’s encounter with his father’s ghost. The Romantic movement was a revolt against the Enlightenment, embracing subjective experience and the power of imagination. The artist places emphasis on the emotions of the characters. Hamlet appears shocked by his father’s ghost. Delacroix's choice of subject matter also reflects the Romantic fascination with the supernatural. Ghosts became a metaphor for the anxieties of a rapidly changing society. The artist used stark contrasts of light and shadow to heighten the sense of dread and uncertainty. In "Hamlet Sees the Ghost of his Father," Delacroix captures the psychological depth of Shakespeare's play, inviting viewers to confront their own fears and uncertainties.