William Shakespeare / Samuel Cousins, A.R.A.

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This mezzotint presents William Shakespeare in the engraver's own rendering, signed by Samuel Cousins, who was an Associate of the Royal Academy, a title printed in the caption. Dated 1849, it belongs to a long stretch of the nineteenth century when Shakespeare's likeness was reproduced constantly, as editions, theater programs, and parlor prints made the playwright a national emblem in Britain and America. Mezzotint suited this kind of portrait because the process builds soft gradations of tone rather than hard lines, giving the face a velvety depth. Viewers may want to compare it with earlier engravings, since most images of Shakespeare descend from a handful of older portraits.

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