Primary Artist

Benjamin Duterrau (1767–1851)

Title

Comus.

Date made

25 March 1797 (imprint)

Place made

London, Greater London, England View on map Close map

Category

Print

Print type

intaglio

Text printed from matrix

printed lower left below image, R. Westall R.A. delt.'.
printed lower right below image, 'B. Dutterau sculp - Finished by B. Smith.'
printed lower centre below image, 'COMUS. / PAGE 155.' / Publish’d March 25. 1797, by J.&J. Boydell, & G. Nicol, Shakspeare Gallery, Pall Mall; & No. 90, Cheapside.'.

Matrix size

22.2 x 15.4 cm (printed image)

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 ]

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