Fuseli, Henry Plate 46. “Macbeth, I, iii.” [Macbeth, Banquo & witches]

Henry Fuseli (1741-1825).  Plate 46.  “Macbeth, I, iii.”  [Macbeth, Banquo & witches] From The American Edition of Boydell’s Illustrations of Shakespeare, Restored to all the Pristine Beauty of the First Proofs.  New York: S. Spooner, 106 Liberty St., 1852.  ca. 17 1/2 x 23 ½ (image).  Engraving by R. Earlom.  Very good condition. A magnificent series of British prints based on the works of William Shakespeare published by the great John Boydell.  Boydell, a land surveyor in the employment of his father, was inspired by an engraving by W.H. Toms to leave his home in Shropshire about 1750 and walk to London to apprentice himself to Toms.  After six years, Boydell set up his own shop and thus began his career as one of the greatest of print publishers.  Boydell was much concerned with the French dominance of the European print market at mid-century, and it was mostly by his efforts that by the 1780’s it was British engraved prints that were dominant. As part of his concern with maki