Top of the Bills … Invaluable — The Guardian
The Victorian Illustrated Shakespeare Archive contains over 3000 illustrations taken from the most significant illustrated editions of Shakespeare’s plays in the Victorian period.
The Archive has expanded recently in the past few years as more editions have been added to it to make it even richer and give it more depth. These editions include the one by John Tallis, which features famous actors of the time in character as well as other interesting ones, such as the first ever full-colour treatment of the plays in an edition, published by John Murdoch. What is likely to be the final edition was added last month (Charles Knight’s Imperial Edition), completing the project in time to participate in the celebrations for the 400th anniversary of the First Folio taking place across the world in 2023 and 2024. The Archive now contains ten editions of Shakespeare’s plays (it originally launched with four) and is fairly comprehensive in how people experienced Shakespeare, visually, in book form, in the UK in the 19th Century. There is even a colouring book users can download for free!
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Selected Media Coverage
Who Do You Think You Are? Series 18, Episode 2: Judy Dench
‘To Browse or Not to Browse? 3,000 Victorian Illustrations of Shakespeare Published Online’, Hyperallergic, September 29, 2016. Available at: https://hyperallergic.com/326101/to-browse-or-not-to-browse-3000-victorian-illustrations-of-shakespeare-published-online/
‘3,000 Illustrations of Shakespeare’s Complete Works from Victorian England, Neatly Presented in a New Digital Archive’, Open Culture, September 1, 2016. Available at: http://www.openculture.com/2016/09/3000-illustrations-of-shakespeares-complete-works-from-victorian-england.html
‘1000s of historic Shakespeare illustrations are now free to download and use’, Digital Arts, January 10, 2017. Available at: https://www.digitalartsonline.co.uk/news/illustration/1000s-of-historic-shakespeare-illustrations-are-now-free-download-use/
‘Free Old Images and Photos: 12 Best Sites for Free Vintage Photos and Artworks’, Digital Arts, January 29, 2018. Available at: https://www.digitalartsonline.co.uk/features/illustration/free-old-images-photos-12-best-sites-for-free-vintage-photos-artworks/
‘The Victorian Illustrated Shakespeare Archive’, Fine Books Magazine, January 30, 2017. Available at: https://www.finebooksmagazine.com/fine_books_blog/2017/01/the-victorian-illustrated-shakespeare-archive.phtml
‘Victorian Shakespeare illustrations now online’, Shakespeare’s Globe, January 13, 2017. Available at: https://blog.shakespearesglobe.com/post/155811510648/victorian-shakespeare-illustrations-now-online
‘Victorian Illustrated Shakespeare Archive’, Cardiff University News, November 30, 2016. Available at: https://www.cardiff.ac.uk/news/view/523007-victorian-illustrated-shakespeare-archive
‘Weird and Hilarious Illustrations from Victorian-Era Shakespeare Plays’, Lit Hub, February 2, 2017. Available at: https://lithub.com/weird-and-hilarious-illustrations-from-victorian-era-shakespeare-plays/
‘Victorian Illustrated Shakespeare Archive’, BBC Shakespeare, October 6, 2018. Available at: https://www.facebook.com/BBCShakespeare/videos/2138039096435014/