A ca. 1884
lithographed poster for an American production of
William Shakespeare's
Hamlet starring Thomas W. Keene. The play, believed to have been written between 1599 and 1601, recounts how
Prince Hamlet exacts revenge on his uncle
Claudius, who has murdered Hamlet's father, the
King, and then taken the throne and married
Gertrude, Hamlet's mother. Several key scenes from the play are depicted on the poster, including the initial meeting with King Hamlet's ghost (top right) and the exhuming of
Yorick's skull (bottom center).
Lithography: W.J. Morgan & Co.; Restoration: Adam Cuerden