Imogen Found in the Cave of Belarius
| Imogen Found in the Cave of Belarius | |
|---|---|
| Artist | George Dawe |
| Year | 1809 |
| Type | Oil on canvas, history painting |
| Dimensions | 100.3 cm × 127 cm (39.5 in × 50 in) |
| Location | Tate Britain, London |
Imogen Found in the Cave of Belarius is an oil painting by the English artist George Dawe, from 1809. It is held at the Tate Britain, in London.[1][2]
It depicts a scene from William Shakespeare's play Cymbeline in which the heroine Imogen, daughter of Cymbeline, is discovered in a cave by Belarius and her two long-lost brothers. They assume she is dead, but in fact she has just taken a sleeping potion. While Dawe became best known for his portraits, this is a rare example of him venturing into history painting.
The painting was exhibited at the British Institution of 1809, a rival to the Royal Academys. Today it is in the collection of the Tate Britain, having been acquired in 1965.[3]
References
- ^ Sillars p.225
- ^ Bury p.321
- ^ Tate galleries
Bibliography
- Bury, Stephen (ed.) Benezit Dictionary of British Graphic Artists and Illustrators, Volume 1. OUP, 2012.
- Sillars, Stuart. Shakespeare Seen. Cambridge University Press, 2019.