License Plate for Polonius

This above all—to thine own self be true,
And it must follow, as the night the day,
Thou canst not then be false to any man.

—William Shakespeare, "Hamlet" Act 1, Scene 3

Polonius's sound advice to Laertes has been succinctly enshrined on a license plate.

"BTRU2SLF"
New York State License Plate

Note:  There's a lot more in the blog archives. Will you choose to look up posts about Shakespeare or posts about license plates?

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More of Edward Gorey's Cape Cod Theater Posters

Hamlet: Do you see yonder cloud that's almost in shape of a camel?

Polonius:  By th' mass and 'tis, like a camel indeed.

Hamlet:  Methinks it is like a weasel.

Polonius:  It is back'd like a weasel.

Hamlet:  Or like a whale.

Polonius:  Very like a whale.

                                                                                   --Hamlet III.ii

When you consider Edward Gorey's prodigious output of books, it's remarkable how much effort he put, particularly in his later years, into the theater. He designed productions and sets, and even wrote entire "entertainments." The posters for these productions are distinctive in themselves. His poster for Shakespeare's "Hamlet" shows an awareness certainly of M. C. Escher, but the style is unmistakably Mr. Gorey's.

Edward Gorey, Shakespeare's "Hamlet" poster, Cotuit Center for the Arts, signed and numbered edition no. 82/100, 1997

Gorey's poster for his "Stumbling Christmas" includes three of his Figbash characters, or a close variant.

Edward Gorey, "Stumbling Christmas" poster, Theater on the Bay, signed and numbered edition no. 37/100, 1995

Swann Galleries

http://catalogue.swanngalleries.com/asp/fullcatalogue.asp?salelot=2349+++++274+&refno=++689201&image=0

Note:  Edward Gorey's art never loses its power to surprise and delight. See a few examples of it on this very blog.

Most of the artists who through no fault of their own occasionally appear here don't enjoy entire blogs wholly dedicated to their work, although I think most of them deserve at least one. Edward Gorey is one of those happy exceptions. Irwin Terry's Goreyana blog is not only a lot of fun, it's an outstanding resource.

Speaking of Cape Cod, if you haven't visited the Edward Gorey House, what are you waiting for?

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