Sketch of a Battle Sceene, from Shakespeare’s Play, Titus Andronicus 

Robert Smirke created this pencil sketch of a battle scene from Shakespeare’s “Titus Andronicus” at the turn of the 19th century in Britain. Smirke was known for history paintings and book illustrations. He was part of the Royal Academy, an institution whose founding in 1768 formalized the status of art and artists in Britain. Smirke’s sketch illustrates a particularly violent play, something that might seem to go against the Academy’s promotion of “taste.” Yet this sketch makes clear that violence, as long as it was from a respected source like Shakespeare, was considered an appropriate subject for art. By illustrating Shakespeare, Smirke also elevated his own status. He was not just an artist but an interpreter of British culture. We can see this sketch as part of the ongoing effort to define what British art was and who it was for. If you want to know more, look into the Royal Academy’s archives.