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Caliban

John Hamilton Mortimer

1775

ink

From the collection of National Gallery of Art

Romanticism 18th Century satyr

Dominant colour

Caliban is a 1775 ink by John Hamilton Mortimer, a Romanticism work, depicting satyr, held at National Gallery of Art.

Who painted this?: John Hamilton Mortimer
When & what style?: 1775 · Romanticism
Where can I see it?: National Gallery of Art

About this work

This etching shows a wild-haired man with twisted limbs, crouched on a rock. His face twists in a snarl. Sharp lines dig deep, making shadows look real. It’s a creepy portrait of Caliban, the angry slave from Shakespeare’s *The Tempest*. The artist didn’t tone him down—just gave him raw, animal energy. Look for another dark Romantic print at the National Gallery of Art, Washington.