The Death of Hamlet

The Death of Hamlet is a powerful lithograph created by Eugène Delacroix in 1843. This highly dramatic print captures a pivotal moment from Shakespeare’s tragedy, focusing on the chaos and grief surrounding the death of the titular Prince Hamlet. Classified as a print, the work is documented as the second state of three, reflecting Delacroix's intensive engagement with the emerging art of lithography during the Romantic era.

Delacroix, a central figure in French Romanticism, was deeply influenced by English literature, particularly the tragic intensity of Shakespeare. Unlike earlier renderings of the play that might focus solely on the final duel, this piece uses stark visual contrasts inherent to the medium to heighten the scene's emotional turmoil. The composition is crowded, emphasizing the tragic culmination of the play: Men are shown bearing the dying Hamlet while Women, notably those accompanying the court, react in profound despair. The overall effect is one of claustrophobic sorrow, defining the final moment of the hero’s life.

As one of Delacroix’s master prints, the work demonstrates his characteristic vigor and skill in using black and white tones to convey palpable movement and suffering. This specific lithograph resides in the extensive collection of the Metropolitan Museum of Art. Because of its cultural importance and age, high-quality images of this interpretation of the literary subject often enter the public domain, allowing global accessibility for scholars and enthusiasts studying Delacroix’s pivotal contribution to printmaking.