[ILLUSTRATED BOOKS]. [BOYDELL, John and Josiah, fl. 1760-1804, publishers]. [SHAKESPEARE, William (1564-1616), subject]. A Collection of Prints from pictures painted for the purpose of illustrating the dramatic works of Shakespeare by the artists of Great Britain. London: John and Josiah Boydell, 1803. Elephant Folio. Frontispiece portraits of George III and Queen Charlotte, 2 title-page vignettes, and 96 large engraved plates after various artists, for a total of 100 engravings. 2 volumes. [xii]; [vi] pp. With paper guards before plates. Approximately 27 3/4 x 21". Contemporary half red morocco over red cloth boards, spines ruled, tooled, and lettered in gilt in compartments, seven raised bands, all edges gilt. FIRST SEPARATE EDITION OF THIS MONUMENTAL ILLUSTRATED WORK ON SHAKESPEARE, COMMONLY KNOWN AS THE FINEST ILLUSTRATIONS OF SHAKESPEARE. Plates are dated from 1790-1804 (this work was completed over many years, accounting for the various dates - the Boydells began this massive undertaking in 1786: "Boydell in 1786 embarked upon the most important enterprise of his life... the publication, by subscription, of a series of prints illustrative of Shakespeare, after pictures painted expressly for the work by English artists. For this purpose he gave commissions to all the most celebrated painters of this country for pictures, and built a gallery in Pall Mall for their exhibition" (DNB). The contributing artists include: William Hamilton, Henry Fuseli, James Northcote, John Opie, Joshua Reynolds, George Romney, Robert Smirke, Benjamin West, Joseph Wright and others. This work is not to be confused with their (later) Boydell's graphic illustrations of Shakespeare, a smaller format work with 100 plates, quite different from these large plates. Complete editions of this work are rare.

Binding quite worn and soiled, though boards are solid, hinges reinforced, front blank after frontispiece in volume I is torn and repaired (still tattered), front blank after frontispiece in volume II is creased, worn, and somewhat chipped, title-page of volume I with repaired tear at fore-edge, some thumbsoiling in text and on plates, plates generally foxed at margins, some more so than others, some plates toned. Still, very good.