Romeo & Juliet / W.S. ; C. Hunt sc.

Racist caricature depicting an African American man-woman couple in the characters of Romeo and Juliet during the balcony scene from Shakespeare's "Romeo and Juliet." In the right, "Romeo" wearing an Elizabethan costume including a plumed hat, cape, and sash, holds his right, gloved hand over his heart and his left, ungloved hand out and holding the edge of his cape. He recites, "How silber sweet sounds Lubbers Tongues by Night, like sorptest Music to attending Ears." In the left, from the balcony, "Juliet" responds, "Dou know’st de mask ob night is on my face, else would a maiden blush bepaint my cheek." She wears a pink puffed sleeve, décolleté dress, earrings, a necklace, and hair adornment. She holds a glove and fan in her right gloved hand at her side and her left hand rests on the balustrade of the balcony. A rose vine climbs up the balcony and the tops of trees and a balustrade are visible behind “Romeo.” Figures are portrayed with oversized and exaggerated features and their skin tone is depicted in black hand coloring.