Hamlet Attempts to Kill the King

Hamlet Attempts to Kill the King is a powerful lithograph created by Eugène Delacroix between 1834 and 1843. This work represents the first of three states, illustrating Delacroix's intensive engagement with printmaking techniques during this pivotal decade. As a key figure in the French Romantic movement, Delacroix often chose dramatic and literary subjects, finding lithography an ideal medium to convey emotional intensity through stark contrasts of light and shadow.

The subject matter is drawn directly from William Shakespeare’s tragedy, Hamlet. The print captures a highly charged confrontation between the two central men of the drama: Hamlet, the Prince of Denmark, and Claudius, the usurping King. Delacroix focuses on the moment when Hamlet attempts to execute his vengeance, illustrating the inner turmoil and psychological stress that define the play. Unlike many of his contemporaries who focused solely on classical or historical scenes, Delacroix frequently returned to Shakespearean narratives, producing a significant body of related prints that explored modern psychological themes.

Delacroix’s mastery of the lithographic process is evident in the work’s dynamic composition and the expressive handling of the greasy chalk, which yields rich blacks and subtle gradations of gray. This piece is classified as an important example of 19th-century French graphic arts and is held in the permanent collection of the Metropolitan Museum of Art in New York. As part of a foundational series dedicated to literary themes, this historically significant print helps define Delacroix's lasting legacy in the medium, and reproductions are frequently encountered through public domain art initiatives.