Comus.
Primary Artist
Benjamin Duterrau (1767–1851)
Title
Date made
25 March 1797 (imprint)
Place made
London, Greater London, England View on map Close map
Category
Print type
intaglio
Technique
stipple-engraving, printed in black ink, from one copper plate
Matrix size
22.2 x 15.4 cm (printed image)
Support
paper
Support size
37.8 x 27.6 cm (sheet)
State
published state
Impression
undesignated impression as issued
Edition information
print-run unknown
Production notes
An illustration of Milton’s A Mask presented at Ludlow Castle, 1634, better known as Comus after its principle antagonist, from John and Josiah Boydell’s The Poetical Works of John Milton (1794-1797). Lady, the heroine of the masque, has been tricked into following Comus, the personification of revelry, back to his bower. Magically held by Comus’ chair, Lady is subjected to the temptations of sexual indulgence and gluttony, but her temperance, chastity, and reason defeat his advances. Behind them, satyrs and maenads revel in the night.
The publication of Boydell’s Milton followed the success of his Shakespeare Gallery, and included 28 plates by Richard Westall after works by Henry Fuseli. Fuseli, one of the Shakespeare Gallery’s key contributors, had been inspired by Boydell’s success, subsequently painting 40 large-scale scenes from Paradise Lost that he intended to form the core of his own ‘Milton Gallery’.
[Sanders of Oxford https://www.sandersofoxford.com/item/36291 ]
Collection
Private collection
Accession number
Saunders of Oxford
Provenance
Hon. Christopher Lennox-Boyd, collector’s mark on verso
Web address
https://www.sandersofoxford.com/item/36291
Country of context
Australia
Creators
Duterrau, Benjamin. | (1767–1851) Australian | English | Male | engraver
Westall, Richard. | (1765–1836) English | Male | print after
Smith, Benjamin. | (1754–1833) English | Male | engraver
Boydell, John. | (1720–1804) English | Male | publisher
Last Updated
18 May 2026