Artwork
Evil
Evil is a print by William Sharp. It is held in the collection of the Victoria and Albert Museum.
About this work
Overview
William Sharp’s 1850 print Evil is an engraving on paper executed as a proof impression, evident from the presence of open letters that mark an early stage of the printing process. The image presents a close‑up of a contorted face, rendered with intense contrast and a sense of depth that draws immediate visual focus.
Subject & Meaning
The composition depicts a screaming visage with wild, curly hair, a thick beard, a gaping mouth exposing teeth, and bulging eyes. A hand grips the edge of a dark, swirling cloth that frames the head like a hood, suggesting a personification of fear or anger, a reading reinforced by the work’s title, Evil.
Technique & Style
Sharp, decisive lines and heavy chiaroscuro shading give the face a dramatic, almost sculptural three‑dimensionality. The engraving’s strong light‑and‑shadow interplay heightens the emotional intensity, while the proof’s unfinished lettering reveals the artist’s process before final printing.
History & Provenance
Sharp based the image on a design by Michelangelo, translating the Renaissance master’s drawing into a mid‑nineteenth‑century print medium. The work was never assigned to a specific artistic movement, and the surviving proof indicates it was likely intended for further editioning that never materialised.
Own this work as a print
Artist & collection
