Bottom and Titania

Eleanor Fortescue Brickdale, ROI, RWS, 1872-1945

Water-colour illustration / colour plate

1917

Source: Brickdale 108

Lines printed with the title: "TITANIA: Come, sit thee down upon this flowery bed / While I thy aimiable cheeks do coy, / And stick musk-roses in thy sleek smooth head" (from Shakespeare's A Midsummer Night's Dream). This was another popular subject for genre painters in the previous century, with the added appeal of the current interest in fairies. Note the typical little fairy-figure of Puck, behind them to the right, in almost transparent green. Puck too was a favourite subject for painters — and sculptors as well.

Click on the image to enlarge it, and see below for links to related material: mouse over the text for the links.