Spotlight on our Collection

Romeo & Juliet, Act 5 Scene 2, by Ferdinand Piloty (1828 – 1895)

This oil painting shows Juliet waking from her drugged sleep to find Romeo dead beside her. It was painted in Munich in a style similar to that of the British Pre-Raphaelite movement, founded in 1848. The artist has tried to be historically accurate in the setting and the costume. The attempt to create a realistic image was considered modern and shocking by most audiences at the time.

Minton plate, c.1871

Here scenes from Romeo & Juliet have been painted onto a plate made by Minton. The designer has chosen very traditional imagery. Although it was made in the late 19^th century, Romeo and Juliet are both shown in much older styles of dress.

Miss Joyce Bland as Juliet and Mr George Hayes as Romeo, signed by Miss Hayes.

Joyce Bland and George Hayes played these roles at the temporary theatre in Stratford's cinema in 1929 and 1930. The main theatre was being rebuilt after the 1926 fire. They are probably posing in the Avonbank gardens beside Stratford's church.

While Romeo is wearing quite a traditional outfit, Juliet's hair and dress are more modern in style. The low waistline on the dress and the short, curled hair were very fashionable in the 1920s and 1930s.

Marketing image. Royal Shakespeare Company, 1997

This programme was produced for the 1997 production of Romeo and Juliet by the RSC. Romeo was played by Ray Fearon and Juliet by Zoe Waites.

This was the first time that a black actor played the role of Romeo in an RSC production of the play. Here Shakespeare's work is made contemporary not through costume or set design but through casting.

Leather jacket worn by David Tennant as Romeo, designed by Tom Piper.

This Romeo and Juliet, directed by Michael Boyd was performed on the main stage at Stratford in 2000, and at the Barbican in 2001. The female characters wore early 19^th century style dresses. This kind of design helps to lift the characters out of a specific time or place.