An episode in The sorrows of young Werther, by Goethe: Albert, the husband of Charlotte, asks his wife to comply with Werther's request to lend him his pistols; she hands them to Werther's servant boy, knowing that Werther will shoot himself with them. Line engraving by P. Bonato after J.H. Ramberg.

The sorrows of the young Werther, letter LXXVII. Werther sends to Albert, Charlotte's husband, a note saying "Be so good to lend me your pistols for a journey. Adieu!". Albert complies. The lettering on the Bartolozzi version identifies the subject: "They had passed an hour in this irksome situation, when the arrival of Werter's servant compleated Charlotte's distress. As soon as Albert had read the note, he turned coldly to his wife, and said, Give him the pistols. I wish him a good journey. These words were a thunderstroke to Charlotte. Vol. 2d, page 151."

Young Werther was the hero of Goethe's romance Die Leiden des jungen Werther (1774); "Wertherism" denotes the morbidly sentimental

[Bassano della Grappa?] : [Remondini?]

1 print : line engraving, with etching ; platemark 31.2 x 26.5 cm

Sorrows of Werther. Angelica Kauffman pinxt. Pietro Bonato sculpt. Bears number bottom right : no. 305

Apparently copied by Bonato after a stipple print by F. Bartolozzi, 1785, after J.H. Ramberg, and re-attributed to Angelica Kauffmann (British Museum online catalogue, referring to other prints by Bonato). Bartolozzi's print shows the mirror with a second border distanced out from the frame, as in the present print. There is also a print of the same composition in rectangular format, by Morange after S. Amand ("Pressentiment de Lolotte"), but with the mirror border flush with the frame, showing that it is unlikely to be the source for the version by Bonato

Wellcome Collection 42993i