Imagining Shakespeare: What's your favorite "statue scene" from "The Winter's Tale?"

To celebrate Folger Theatre’s new production of The Winter’s Tale, we asked our followers on Twitter and Instagram to share stagings and illustrations of the famous “statue scene” from the end of the play with the hashtag #ImaginingShakespeare. We also delved into the Folger collection and shared some images of our own. Check those out and learn more about the scene in our previous post.

Today, we're sharing different versions of the "statue scene" from Shakespeare's "The Winter's Tale," with the hashtag #ImaginingShakespeare. Share your favorite statue scene! https://t.co/dR2A7AwP0o

— Folger Shakespeare Library (@FolgerLibrary) March 12, 2018

We got responses from Shakespeare companies, scholars, and former Hermiones. Here are a few of our favorites: 

"You said this story was kind of like a fairy tale,” @nicole_soojung's daughter reflected after 2016's #WintersTaleOSF, “and in fairy tales, magic isn’t strange at all. It’s just normal.” #ImaginingShakespeare #RepresentationMatters @FolgerLibrary @Hazlitt https://t.co/VmoVDy4PQZ

— Oregon Shakespeare Festival (@osfashland) March 12, 2018

Here's our lovely Hermione statue @chesapeakeshake in THE WINTER'S TALE through April 7, 2018. With Valerie Fenton, photo by Shealyn Jae. #imaginingShakespeare pic.twitter.com/8aLgiqDqI3

— Chesapeake Shakespeare Company (@chesapeakeshake) March 12, 2018

One of my favourites is the portrait of Mrs Charles Kean by Charles Robert Leslie in the collections of the Royal Shakespeare Company #ImaginingShakespeare pic.twitter.com/FM3ZILtWw9

— Rosalyn Sklar (@r_sklar) March 12, 2018

https://www.instagram.com/p/BgPQKzXn2In/

@FolgerLibrary I loved the Kenneth Branagh version of The Winter's Tale with Judi Dench and Miranda Raison. Here is the statue scene. #ImaginingShakespeare pic.twitter.com/wTAlLEDRHa

— Joanne M. Kaufman (@JoanneMKaufman3) March 12, 2018

When I teach "The Winter's Tale," my favorite film clip is from John Barton's "Playing Shakespeare," embedded in of one of the episodes. Nothing but the actors in street clothes, an old blanket for a statue shawl, and the beautiful spectacle of forgiveness. #imaginingshakespeare https://t.co/Qssb0xhBKi

— Courtney Bailey (@curlyfrycourt) March 13, 2018

" 'Tis time; descend; be stone no more; approach;
Strike all that look upon with marvel." ~WT 5.3#ImaginingShakespeare The sublime WT ballet at @TheRoyalOpera. pic.twitter.com/T2z3tnGySV

— Shakespeare & Pictures (@ShakesPic) March 12, 2018

https://twitter.com/DrMikeyGoodman/status/973303263939452928

One of the more interesting stagings I have seen was at The Old Globe in 2005 they did the statue as a Pieta. Hermione was draped across the lap of the actress playing Time

— Diane Wilshere (she/her) (@petricat666) March 12, 2018

Finally, Twitter user @Judy1564 reminds us that The Winter’s Tale isn’t the only story that prominently features a statue. The characters in Shakespeare’s play might have to escape bears, but at least they don’t have to deal with apes.

"If you can look into the seeds of time and say which grain will grow and which will not…." Macbeth ( I iii ) #ImaginingShakespeare @FolgerLibrary pic.twitter.com/1tqy4N24d1

— Jude🚴‍♀️👐 (@judy1564) March 12, 2018

A huge thank you to all of our friends who shared a statue scene! Keep an eye on #ImaginingShakespeare as we explore more iconic scenes from Shakespeare’s plays with the help of the Folger collection.