Hamlet — Laertes in Ophelia's Grave, title page and table of contents from Hamlet

Hamlet - Laertes in Ophelia's Grave, title page and table of contents from Hamlet by Eugène Delacroix French, 1798-1863 is a significant example of French Romantic printmaking and illustrative art. Created in 1843, this work functions specifically as a specialized bi-fold cover structure for a publication dedicated to William Shakespeare’s famous tragedy. The physical composition utilizes blue wove paper for the exterior structure, a distinct choice contrasted by two white wove insert sheets that would have contained the literal title page and table of contents for the edition.

The central imagery, designed by Delacroix, captures the climactic tension from Act V, Scene 1, depicting the brutal confrontation in the graveyard where the protagonist grapples with Laertes over Ophelia’s grave. This choice of subject highlights the emotional and psychological intensity that defined the Romantic aesthetic in France during the mid-19th century. Delacroix held a profound, career-long fascination with the works of Shakespeare, and his series of lithographs inspired by Hamlet is considered a high point of the artist's graphic output.

These detailed prints were instrumental in shaping the visual interpretation of Shakespearean drama among contemporary European audiences. As a master of dynamic composition and expressive figure drawing, Delacroix successfully translated the theatrical tension of the play into arresting visual art. This seminal print is classified formally as a print and remains an important holding within the permanent collection of the Art Institute of Chicago, illustrating the potent intersection of literature and French visual culture during this formative period.