John & Josiah Boydell (publ)

A COLLECTION OF PRINTS, FROM PICTURES PAINTED FOR THE PURPOSE OF ILLUSTRATING THE DRAMATIC WORKS OF SHAKSPEARE, BY THE A

London, Published by John and Josiah Boydell, Shakspeare Gallery ... Printed by W. Bulmer and Co. ..., 1803.
Elephant folio (70 by 53 cm). Printed title with engraved vignette, dedication leaf, 2 leaves of preface, 2 leaves with list of plates + engraved frontispiece (full length portrait of King George III, by Sir W. Beechey) + engraved plate of Shakespeare's statue + 46 large engraved plates; volume 2 with printed title with engraved vignette, dedication leaf, 2 leaves with list of plates + engraved frontispiece (portrait of Queen Charlotte, by Sir W. Beechey) + 50 large engraved plates. Each plate with original protective tissues.
Two volumes in one, contemporary half morocco gilt, worn, upper joint partly cracked.
This copy lacks plates no. 40 to 46 being Smirke's Seven ages.

First edition. The plates are dated 1790-1804. Of the artists, Smirke, Fuseli, and Northcote contributed the largest number of plates; the others, including Reynolds, Opie, and Stothard, are represented by from one to five plates each; engraved by R. Thew, T. Ryder, P. Simon and others.

John Boydell [1720-1804], engraver, print publisher, in the 1790s, Boydell began a large Shakespeare venture that included the establishment of a Shakespeare Gallery, the publication of an illustrated edition of Shakespeare's plays, and the release of a folio of prints depicting scenes from Shakespeare's works. Some of the most illustrious painters of the day contributed, such as Benjamin West and Henry Fuseli.
Josiah Boydell [1752-1817], publisher and painter, created the establishment of the Boydell Shakespeare Gallery together with his uncle, John Boydell.