{"product_id":"1792-henry-william-bunbury-john-chapman-falstaff-s-escape-hand-colored-shakespeare-engraving-24in-x-28in-61cm-x-71cm","title":"1792 HENRY WILLIAM BUNBURY, JOHN CHAPMAN FALSTAFF’S ESCAPE, HAND-COLORED SHAKESPEARE ENGRAVING, 24IN x 28IN (61cm x 71cm)","description":"\u003cp\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eInventory #: 26-735 - $500.00\u003c\/strong\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cbr\u003eOffer here is an exceptional 18th-century British Shakespearean engraving, titled “Falstaff’s Escape,” depicting the celebrated comic episode from William Shakespeare’s The Merry Wives of Windsor, Act IV, Scene II. Engraved by John Chapman after an original composition by noted Georgian artist and caricaturist Henry William Bunbury (1750–1811) and published in London by Thomas Macklin in 1792. The composition captures one of Shakespeare’s great comic characters, Sir John Falstaff, at the center of the frantic scene surrounding his attempted escape from the Ford household. Bunbury’s remarkable talent for theatrical gesture, characterization, costume, and humorous social observation is fully evident, with the imposing Falstaff surrounded by elegantly rendered female figures. The lower margin retains its important original engraved inscriptions, including “Henry Bunbury Esqr. delt.” at lower left and “J. Chapman sculpt.” at lower right, together with the prominent title “FALSTAFF’S ESCAPE” and reference to The Merry Wives of Windsor, Act 4, Scene 2. The elaborate dedication further references Her Royal Highness the Duchess of York, connecting the image with Bunbury’s celebrated Shakespeare drawings and Thomas Macklin’s ambitious late-18th-century Shakespeare publishing project. The engraving displays delicate period-style hand coloring in subdued rose, blue, green, ochre, and brown tones, enhancing the elaborate Georgian costumes while preserving the extraordinary detail of Chapman's engraved and stippled work. Presented under glass with a dusty-rose mat in an elaborate gilt and antiqued-finish architectural frame, creating a highly decorative presentation. It is double matted and framed under acrylic. With frame, it measures 24 inches x 28 inches. This piece was acquired from a Metro Washington DC estate. \u003cbr\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e","brand":"The Rug Life","offers":[{"title":"Default Title","offer_id":47660296634540,"sku":null,"price":500.0,"currency_code":"USD","in_stock":true}],"thumbnail_url":"\/\/cdn.shopify.com\/s\/files\/1\/0754\/5906\/8076\/files\/11.1_2.jpg?v=1792462542","url":"https:\/\/rug-auction.com\/products\/1792-henry-william-bunbury-john-chapman-falstaff-s-escape-hand-colored-shakespeare-engraving-24in-x-28in-61cm-x-71cm","provider":"The Rug Life","version":"1.0","type":"link"}