John Rogers, born Salem, MA 1829-died New Canaan, CT 1904 Search this
Medium:
painted plaster
Dimensions:
22 x 20 3/4 x 14 3/8 in. (55.8 x 52.6 x 36.5 cm)
Type:
Sculpture
Date:
patented 1882
Exhibition Label:
For this statuette illustrating a scene from Shakespeare's Othello, John Rogers conveys the play's setting--Renaissance Venice--through swords, ceramics, feathers, brocades, leather, and lace. These bring to life a pivotal scene in which the vile Iago, on the far left, plants the seeds of murderous jealousy in Othello, whose wife, Desdemona, appears to receive inappropriate attentions from a rival. A luxurious collar accentuates Desdemona's beauty, while a dagger hints at Iago's treachery. Through such historical detail, this parlor statue fueled Americans' popular conception of Venice as a place of adventure, romance, and above all, sensual excess.
Sargent, Whistler, and Venetian Glass: American Artists and the Magic of Murano, 2021.
Luce Center Label:
"Ha! I Like Not That" refers to a scene from Shakespeare's Othello. Othello and Iago have arrived to greet Othello's wife, Desdemona, who is speaking with Cassio. Upon seeing Cassio, the traitorous Iago mutters, "Ha! I like not that," and hints to Othello that Desdemona and Cassio may be having an affair. In this piece the actor Edwin Booth posed for Iago, and Tommaso Salvini may have posed for Othello.
