The Ghost on the Platform, plate 3 from Hamlet

The Ghost on the Platform, plate 3 from Hamlet, created by Eugène Delacroix French, 1798-1863, in 1843, is a powerful example of Romantic printmaking inspired by William Shakespeare's seminal tragedy. This dramatic work captures the moment on the ramparts when Hamlet confronts the terrifying specter of his dead father. Delacroix executed this image using the technical process of lithography, printing in rich black ink on delicate, off-white China paper, which was subsequently mounted, or "laid down," onto a supportive sheet of white wove paper to ensure stability and preservation.

Delacroix produced this print as part of a significant series illustrating Hamlet, a subject that deeply resonated with the emotional intensity and dramatic focus of the Romantic movement in France. The artist’s distinctive style, characterized by deep shadows and agitated, expressive lines, perfectly suits the psychological turmoil and high drama inherent in the scene. The dark atmosphere emphasizes the fear and dread experienced by Hamlet as he faces the supernatural visitor, highlighting the artist's mastery of chiaroscuro in the graphic arts.

The prints from this series remain highly regarded examples of graphic art from nineteenth-century France. This specific impression is held in the extensive collection of the Art Institute of Chicago, where it contributes to the institution’s comprehensive holdings of European works on paper. The series cemented Delacroix’s reputation as the era’s preeminent dramatic painter and illustrator. As an important historical document, high-resolution reproductions of this lithograph, The Ghost on the Platform, are often made available through public domain initiatives, allowing wider study and appreciation of Delacroix's masterful interpretation of the tragic hero.