Romney, George (1734 – 1802) – Macbeth, The Banqueting Scene (Act III, Scene 4).

Romney was making drawings of Shakespeare subjects from an early date. But he took them up again with gusto in the early 1790s, originally intending to contribute a scene from Macbeth to Boydell's Shakespeare Gallery. This sheet is typical of his sketchbook drawings of this date; vigorously made, at great pace, exploring complicated and dramatic composi tions with ease. He filled numerous sketchbook pages in one sitting, repeating a design again and again, often with little change. This must have served a function in teasing out as much value from an arrangement of figures as possible. But, there is also an obssessive feel to these drawings, perhaps it was just the cathartic pleasure of letting off creative steam.

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