Henry VIII (IV.ii.82): Queen Katherine's Dream by Henry Fuseli.
Fuseli's compelling visions of Shakespeare scenes were extremely influential not just on other artists but on actual stage productions, as seen in the next two illustrations. Courtesy of the York Project. The relevant text is as follows:
The vision comes to Queen Katherine in IV, ii of Henry VIII. In the original script the figures are Queen Katherine and her usher, Griffith. The dying Katherine asks Griffith to "Cause the musicians play me that sad note / I named my knell, whilst I sit meditating / On that celestial harmony I go to." She sleeps while this this vision is staged as specified by the stage directions:
"Enter, solemnly tripping one after another, six personages clad in white robes wearing on their heads garlands of bays, and golden vizards on their faces, branches of bays or palm in their hands. They first congee [bow] unto her, then dance; and, at certain changes, the first two hold a garland over her head; at which the other four make reverent curtsies. Then the two that held the garland deliver the same to the other next two, who observe the same order in their changes, and holding the garland over her head; which done, they deliver the same garland to the last two, who likewise observe the same order; at which (as it were by inspiration) she makes (in her sleep) signs of rejoicing and holdeth up her hands to heaven. and so in their dancing vanish, carrying the garland with them. The music continues."
Waking, Katherine asks Griffith :
Saw you not even now a blessed troop
Invite me to a banquet, whose bright faces
Cast thousand beams upon me like the sun?
They promised me eternal happiness
And brought me garlands, Griffith, which I feel
I am not worthy yet to wear; I shall assuredly.
Most modern productions refuse to stage this sanctifying effect although it is clearly required by the text. One recent production even turned the vision into a hellish nightmare!
