The artwork titled “Caliban from the portfolio Visions of Shakespeare (Shakespeare Visionen)” is an illustration created by Alfred Kubin in the year 1918. This piece is a part of the Symbolism movement and captures the genre of illustration. The artist employs meticulous and expressive line work to render one of Shakespeare’s most intriguing characters, Caliban.
The artwork depicts Caliban, a character from Shakespeare’s play “The Tempest.” Kubin illustrates Caliban as a monstrous figure, with a muscular and imposing physique. The details of Caliban’s form are emphasized by the hatching and cross-hatching techniques used by the artist. The character appears to be in a tense, crouched position, wielding a tool or a weapon above his head, poised as if ready to strike. His expression is one of intense focus and determination. The background is sketchy, with a hint of a landscape that includes water and a distant ship, enhancing the context of the character within the play’s narrative. Kubin’s work effectively captures the raw and primal nature of Caliban, contributing to the symbolic and interpretative layers of the illustration.
