The Murder of Olympia, Illustration by J. R. Clayton

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The Murder of Olympia

J. R. Clayton

1857

Wood engraving on paper

3 15/16 x 3 7/16 inches (10 x 8.8 cm)

Illustration for "Juan" by Barry Cornwall (real name, Bryan Waller Proctor (1787-1874))

Private Collection

Scanned image and caption material by Dennis T. Lanigan; commentary (below) and formatting by Jacqueline Banerjee. [Click on the image to enlarge it.]

You may use this image without prior permission for any scholarly or educational purpose as long as you link your document to this URL in a web document or cite the Victorian Web in a print one.

Juan's fear of discovery is shown here. Soon he will learn of his mistake (the man he was jealous of is, he learns, simply Olympia's brother), and stab himself. Again, the moment of fear is well captured, against a shadowy, atmospheric background. The victim's elegant shoes are almost lost among the vegetation.

(Voices are heard.)
My Lord!

JUAN.
Hark, hark! they call the murderer: he is here.

(Voices.)
My Lord, my lord!

Juan.

Now first to hide
The body. Body!—is she changed so soon? [Hides the body
And now to fly: yet wherefore? Can they read
In my white visage and unaltered eye
A murder redder than the crime of Cain> [Cornwall 54-55]

Bibliography

Cornwall, Barry (pseud.). Dramatic scenes: with other poems. London: Chapman and Hall, 1857.

Sambrook, James. "Procter, Bryan Waller (1787–1874), poet and lawyer." Oxford Dictionary of National Biography. Online ed. Web. 12 January 2022.

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Last modified 1 November 2009