Fotoreproductie van een prent naar een schilderij door James Durno, voorstellend een scene uit De vrolijke vrouwtjes van Windsor door William Shakespeare before 1864

This is a photomechanical print by Stephen Ayling after a painting by James Durno, illustrating a scene from Shakespeare's *The Merry Wives of Windsor*. The image captures a comedic moment, likely intended for a middle-class audience familiar with both Shakespeare and the conventions of Victorian theatre. Consider the role of illustration in the 19th century; it was a powerful tool for disseminating culture, making literature and theatre accessible to a broader public. The print's creation involved a chain of institutions and individuals, from the painter Durno, to the printer Ayling, to the publisher who commissioned the work. Each had a stake in shaping the reception of Shakespeare, reflecting Victorian values and tastes. Was this image originally displayed in a public gallery, a private collection, or within the pages of an illustrated book? The answer would change how we understand its impact. By examining archival sources like publishers' records, exhibition catalogues, and theatre reviews, we can understand the artwork not just as an aesthetic object, but as a product of its time, shaped by economic forces, social expectations, and cultural institutions.