A cheerful depiction from William Shakespeare’s “A Midsummer Night’s Dream.” Nick Bottom, the weaver and play actor, has been transformed into a donkey by the elusive sprite, Puck. Queen Titania falls in love with Nick Bottom, and decorates him with flowers. In this scene he is with his fellow play actors who are shocked to see how he’s transformed.

Unsigned, but likely a British artist by the “London” stamp on verso

Medium: oil on paper, mounted to a stretched linen

Size of support: 12 1/8” x 16” Outside size of frame: 15 1/4” x 19 1/4”

Year of creation: mid 19th century

Condition: The original stretcher is in good condition, several keys have been replaced. The paper support is adhered to linen which is stretched and taut. The painting surface has been professionally cleaned and a new dammar varnish applied. Several small areas of inpaint, but the paint layer is nicely intact with no abrasions or areas of over cleaning. The original gold leaf frame had sustained several losses over time. The losses have been filled and inpainted.