Hamlet and the Body of Polonius, plate 11 from Hamlet

Hamlet and the Body of Polonius, plate 11 from Hamlet is a powerful lithograph created in 1835 by Eugène Delacroix French, 1798-1863. This work, a pivotal piece within his illustrative series dedicated to Shakespeare’s tragic play, exemplifies the French Romantic movement’s fascination with extreme emotion and dramatic literary sources. The detailed print was executed as a lithograph in black on delicate off-white China paper, which was then carefully laid down onto white wove paper. This technique enhances the richness of the dark tones and sharp contrasts achieved through the lithographic process, allowing Delacroix to rapidly capture the expressive power central to his vision of the tragic hero.

The scene depicts Prince Hamlet standing over the body of Polonius, whom he has just slain in his mother’s chamber. Delacroix masterfully uses dramatic lighting and posture to convey the claustrophobic horror and psychological intensity of the moment. The composition contrasts Hamlet’s internal turmoil with the static, heavy weight of the corpse, highlighting the disastrous consequences of the prince’s misjudgment. This intense psychological drama was a recurring subject for Delacroix, who produced a total of sixteen lithographs illustrating the play, transforming Shakespeare’s narrative into highly personal visual explorations that profoundly influenced subsequent European representations of the tragedy.

As a foundational work in the history of 19th-century French printmaking, the lithograph remains an essential artifact for studying the intersection of literature and visual art during the Romantic era. This particular impression of the dramatic piece resides in the esteemed collection of the Art Institute of Chicago. Because the original work is nearly two centuries old, high-resolution images of this Delacroix print are often made available through public domain initiatives, ensuring continued scholarship and appreciation for this profound illustration.