Unframed oil on board (19 x 24 inches, unframed)
This painting is a collaboration with the New York, Stag and Lion Theatre Company. Joshua Koehn is posing as Shylock and the image is taken from their performance of The Merchant of Venice in New York.
We see Shylock holding a knife with which he could potentially take his pound of flesh from Antonio, if the latter fails to repay his debt. Shylock appears thoughtful as he contemplates the events that led him to this later point in the play. He concludes that he is justified in demanding the foreit from Antonio, given his earlier treatment at the hands of the former; the painting includes a direct quote from the play. On the table, to Shylock's right, we see a chest of gold coins spilling onto the table and rolling off its edge. This symbolises the ultimate loss of Shylock's wealth to Antonio, his daughter and to the state. We also see a Cross and a Star of David (a symbol of Christianity and Judaism respectively) intermingled with the gold coins. Both religions have inadvertently been drawn into the greed and immorality, that so often accompanies wealth and its acquisition. Behind Shylock, we see an oceanic scene reflected in a mirror. This depicts Antonio's troubled mercantile adventure, creating an apparent financial setback that leaves Antonio unable to repay his debt to Shylock.
Original painting: £650 use Contact Us
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Ref: Shylock
Location: UK and Paris
Artist: Iain Will