The Scandal of Images: Iconoclasm, Eroticism, and Painting in Early Modern English DramaIn Elizabethan England, dramatists and painters were both achieving the greatest degree of artistic excellence yet witnessed, but they were also in a state of transition, vying for social status and patronage, as well as struggling against religious reformers' accusations of idolatry and eroticism. This interdisciplinary study brings to light the radical, inventive ways in which dramatists such as Shakespeare, Lyly, and Marston appropriated painting and subtly competed with painters to advance their own art and defend theater against Puritan attacks. They transformed painting into a provocative stage property and trope that enhanced the language of their scripts and the audience's imaginative participation in the drama. At the same time, they reflected a profound ambivalence towards painting by staging scenes with painters and pictures that emphasized the dangerous powers inherent in visual images and image-making. |
Contents
29 | |
John Lylys Campaspe and the Subtle Eroticism of the Elizabethan Miniature | 66 |
Dramatic Uses of Portrait Properties and FacePainting in the Boys Theater at St Pauls | 98 |
Scandalous Counterfeiting Iconophobia Poison and Painting in Arden of Faversham | 130 |
Stretch thine art Painting Passions Revenge and the Painter Addition to The Spanish Tragedy | 152 |
Images Lawful and Beguiling Ambivalent Responses to Painting in Shakespeares Drama | 178 |
Notes | 216 |
Bibliography | 239 |
Index | 253 |
Common terms and phrases
actor Alexander Alice ambivalence Antonio and Mellida Apelles appears Arden of Faversham argues artist audience Balurdo beauty Cambridge Campaspe Campaspe's character Children of Paul's claims colors counterfeit court courtly crucifix depicted drama dramatists E. K. Chambers Earl early modern England ekphrasis Elizabethan emotional English erotic eroticism eyes face face-painting false figure gaze Hamlet Hieronimo Ibid iconic iconoclastic idol idolatry image-making imagination imitation John Lyly Lassingbergh Leontes Limning London lovers Lucilia Lyly's Marston's metaphor miniature moral Mosby murder nature Nicholas Hilliard onstage painted images painter Painter Addition Painter scene painting trope painting's paragone passions Paul's perceived performance play's players Poet poetry poison portrait praise present Queen refers reflects reformers religious Renaissance representation response revenge rhetorical scandal secular shadow Shakespeare skill social Spanish Tragedy speaking picture spectators stage status theater theatrical Thomas Timon Timon of Athens tion trope University Press Venus verbal viewer visual art woman words
Popular passages
Page 135 - Dangerous conceits are, in their natures, poisons, Which, at the first, are scarce found to distaste ; But, with a little act upon the blood, Burn like the mines of sulphur.
Page 98 - Nay, their endeavour keeps in the wonted pace: but there is, sir, an aery of children, little eyases, that cry out on the top of question, and are most tyrannically clapped for 't: these are now the fashion, and so berattle the common stages (so they call them) that many wearing rapiers are afraid of goose-quills, and dare scarce come thither.
Page 233 - Like to your picture in the gallery, A deal of life in show, but none in practice; Or rather like some reverend monument Whose ruins are even pitied.
Page 43 - ... forms such as never were in nature, as the heroes, demi-gods, cyclops, chimeras, furies, and such like; so as he goeth hand in hand with nature...
Page 43 - Only the poet, disdaining to be tied to any such subjection, lifted up with the vigour of his own invention, doth grow in effect into another nature, in making things either better than Nature bringeth forth, or, quite anew - forms such as never were in Nature, as the Heroes, Demigods, Cyclops, Chimeras, Furies, and such like...
Page 208 - But nature makes that mean : so, over that art Which you say adds to nature, is an art That nature makes. You see, sweet maid, we marry A gentler scion to the wildest stock, And make conceive a bark of baser kind By bud of nobler race : this is an art Which does mend nature, change it rather, but The art itself is nature.
Page 152 - ... and the clock striking twelve. And then at last, sir, starting, behold a man hanging, and tottering and tottering, as you know the wind will wave a man, and I with a trice to cut him down. And looking upon him by the advantage of my torch, find it to be my son Horatio. There you may...
Page 63 - I like the Audience that frequenteth there With much applause: A man shall not be choked With the stench of Garlic, nor be pasted To the barmy Jacket of a Beer-brewer. BRABANT JUNIOR Tis a good gentle Audience, and I hope the Boys Will come one day into the Court of requests.
Page 149 - For, as sharp-witted poets, whose sweet verse Make heavenly gods break off their nectar draughts And lay their ears down to the lowly earth, Use humble promise to their sacred Muse, So we that are the poets' favourites 255 Must have a love.