Cymbeline: Act II, Scene II

Cymbeline: Act II, Scene II

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History painting; the subject, Cymbeline, Act II, Scene II, Iachimo emerging from the chest in Imogen’s bedchamber, by William Shakespeare (1564-1616). Set in pre-Christian Roman England, the central plot of the play revolves around a wager by a husband on his wife’s fidelity. Iachimo depicted in left foreground, in right profile, climbing from a wooden chest in Imogen’s bedchamber, his gaze directed towards Imogen; wearing the garb of an ancient Roman citizen; in his left hand, a writing implement and blank paper. Imogen depicted in right foreground, supine and asleep on a bed; nude and partially covered by bedlinen; in the background, Imogen’s bedchamber filled with various objects, lit by the glow of a crescent moon through a single window; unsigned.
James Barry was a pupil at the Royal Dublin Society Drawing Schools.

RDS Treasures Collection

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RDS Library & Archives

Painting

Ca.1788-1792

Oil on canvas

279.5 x 355.5 cm