Presenting Shakespeare

A skull held aloft; a lovesick donkey; a bloodied dagger--these familiar symbols are instantly recognizable shorthand for the plays of William Shakespeare. In the four hundred years since his death in 1616, the Bard of Avon's exalted place in the pantheon of theater and poetry--and within all of Western culture--has been unequaled. As critic Ben Jonson proclaimed, Shakespeare "is not of an age but for all time!" And just as centuries of theatrical artists have continuously reimagined his works through the lens of their own time and culture, so have illustrators and designers been inspired to create posters that reinvent Shakespeare's well-known symbols and themes for each new generation of theatergoers. Presenting Shakespeare collects more than twelve hundred posters for Shakespeare's plays, designed by an international roster of artists representing more than 20 countries, from Japan to Colombia to India to Russia to Australia and beyond. A fascinating trove of theatrical artifacts, Presenting Shakespeare is a necessary volume for theater and design lovers alike.--