Lear Casting out his Daughter Cordelia 1792

Editor: Here we have Richard Earlom's etching and drawing on paper, "Lear Casting out his Daughter Cordelia," from 1792, currently housed at The Art Institute of Chicago. I find the stark contrast in light and shadow quite dramatic. The old King seems furious. What do you make of this turbulent scene? Curator: Oh, this is a blast from the past! This print attempts to capture a highly charged moment in Shakespeare's "King Lear". What grabs me is Earlom's dedication to academic art principles, even as Romanticism was brewing. Did you notice how carefully each figure is rendered, almost sculptural? But it also feels like a stage, doesn’t it? Like he's carefully arranged these players. Editor: Absolutely, there's a very theatrical quality to it. The rigid columns versus the intense emotions on display. So it’s straddling that line, a foot in each world? Curator: Precisely! Earlom wants to evoke strong passions – Lear’s rage, Cordelia’s despair. He borrows the grand style of history painting to make a print to evoke the full-blown drama. That push and pull creates a palpable tension. Now, if only he had let us see poor Cordelia's face. Imagine the pain in her expression. Editor: That's a fascinating observation. I didn’t think of how withholding her face actually amplifies the emotional impact. What a powerful story-telling tool. Thanks! Curator: My pleasure! Sometimes, what the artist *doesn't* show speaks volumes. It's a fine piece indeed. And now, what shall we explore next?