Hamlet: Act IV, Scene V (Ophelia before the King and Queen) (1792), better known as Ophelia and Laertes (1792), was painted by the Neoclassical British-American artist Benjamin West. Residing in the Cincinnati Art Museum, the painting holds symbolic reflections of 18th-century culture and Shakespearian history. The oil painting was produced on canvas, surrounded by a large golden frame spanning 109 x 152 1/2 inches (9 x 12 1/2 ft). With muted tones and leathery texture, the oil painting was one of the first artworks acquired by the Cincinnati Art Museum before its grand opening in 1886. According to Google Arts & Culture, “It was the first work by a major artist to come to Cincinnati, and it is a venerable document of the city’s cultural heritage.” (Google Arts & Culture. 2022). Commissioned to create various Shakespearean oil paintings, Benjamin West turned to literature for inspiration. “West’s painting showing a scene from Shakespeare’s tragedy Hamlet: Act IV, Scene V (Ophelia Before the King and Queen), painted in 1792, was originally made for inclusion in the Boydell Shakespeare Gallery in London.” (Hoakley. 2022). After production, the large Shakespeare images hold depth and history for Neoclassicalism and found a place in the historic Cincinnati Art Museum due to the bankruptcy of the Boydell Shakespeare Gallery.
While critically analyzing the artwork, the central theme portrayed in the piece is emotions and theater. The nine visible figures within the oil painting carry their own stories through facial expressions. For example, the woman in the center with the flowing white dress is Ophelia, a primary character in the scene. Ophelia’s stark eyes and worrisome body language connect to the story of Hamlet when the character goes mad after her father’s death. On the right, the king and queen on the throne appear disgusted and disappointed by Ophelia’s behavior. These indications are evident in their poses and faces giving an apparent reaction to what is happening in the entirety of the painting. Within their facial expressions alone, West portrayed the story beautifully between placement, angles, and the overall layout without having to paint a single word in the image.
The painting’s setting overall vividly portrays classic Shakespearian literature; from the medieval attire and hierarchy placements of the throne and servants, each character plays a critical role in the painting. The design itself shows the texture of the clothing with the excellent use of shading on the garments—the balance between the warm, moody tones of the painting corresponds with the common culture of 16th-century design. Symbolically, the image carries many indications that foreshadow the story of Hamlet. For example, the flowers falling from Ophelia’s gown connect to how flowers in artwork often symbolize purity and death. Ophelia’s reaction to family hardship and loss drove her to insanity, all caused by things out of her control, connecting innocence with the floral details. Whereas the flowers also correlate with the falling sequence coming from the garment, linking with grief and death caused in the play’s next act when Ophelia dies. According to an article from The Metropolitan Museum of Art, “Botanical symbolism has its origin in the literature of antiquity, where plants are often used in metaphors for virtue and vice.” (Meagher. 2007). Thus, small details were captured powerfully by West and added touches of thought and depth to the visual beauty and expressiveness of the piece.
Despite the illustrious detail of the symbolism within the oil painting, the edges of the artwork get lost and overshadowed by the leading four figures, Ophelia, Laertes, and the King and Queen. Looking closely at the artwork, the muted colors in the image blend, softening the backdrop. The softness of the edges adds to and takes away from the painting. For example, it allows the primary focus to be on the central figures. However, the servants, court jesters, and knights in the background play roles in the scene, yet they get lost within the image. Nonetheless, the attention to detail West created encapsulates the portraiture of Neoclassical artwork and remains a historic symbolic representation of Benjamin West’s most noticeable works.
The importance of literature and inspiration from other art mediums is a fluent theme within the artwork. Benjamin West vividly portrayed culture from England and the United States through artwork connected with culture and the arts. West’s commissioned work greatly influenced his artwork with portraiture and Neoclassical themes. Today, the painting resides in the Cincinnati Art Museum, bringing European culture to the United States of America through medieval illustrations and symbolism.
Hannah J. Pasquini © 2023
Works Cited:
Image 1: Hamlet: Act IV, Scene V (Ophelia before the King and Queen) (1792). Benjamin West. Oil on canvas. 109 x 152 1/2 in. Cincinnati Art Museum. Accession No: 1882.230. https://www.cincinnatiartmuseum.org/art/explore-the-collection?id=11295267
Image 2: Hannah Pasquini next to Benjamin West’s Hamlet: Act IV, Scene V (Ophelia before the King and Queen) (1792) oil painting. Hannah Pasquini. (2023)
Google Arts and Culture. (2022) “Hamlet: Act IV, Scene V (Ophelia and Laertes)” from “About” via Google Arts and Culture. https://artsandculture.google.com/asset/hamlet-act-iv-scene-v-ophelia-and-laertes-benjamin-west-american-b-1738-d-1820/uQED60DaNg7l6w?hl=en
Hoakley. (2022) “Painted Stories in Britain 7: Benjamin West’s revolution fails” from The Eclectic Light Company. https://eclecticlight.co/2022/10/12/painted-stories-in-britain-7-benjamin-wests-revolution-fails/
Meagher, J. (2007) “Botanical Imagery in European Painting.” In Heilbrunn Timeline of Art History. New York: The Metropolitan Museum of Art. http://www.metmuseum.org/toah/hd/bota/hd_bota.htm
