Page "John Boydell" Paragraph 22

The idea of a grand Shakespeare edition was conceived at a dinner at Josiah Boydell ’ s home in November 1786.

The guest list itself is evidence of Boydell ’ s extensive connections in the artistic world: Benjamin West, painter to King George III ; George Romney, a renowned painter ; George Nicol, bookseller to the king and painter ; William Hayley, a poet ; John Hoole, a scholar and translator of Tasso and Aristotle ; and Daniel Braithwaite, an engineer.

Most sources also list the painter Paul Sandby.

Although the initial idea for the edition was probably not Boydell's, he was the one to seize and pursue it.

He wanted to use the edition to facilitate the development of a British school of history painting.