Hildegard Hammerschmidt-Hummel

Hildegard Hammerschmidt-Hummel (born January 21, 1944) is a German Professor of English, literary critic, Shakespeare scholar and writer.

Hildegard Hammerschmidt-Hummel is regarded by many as a Shakespeare scholar who "has won for herself a special standing within national and international Shakespeare studies“ and has presented a "convincing new image of Shakespeare“ which is thought of as "in many ways revolutionary“, as a senior literary scholar phrased it.cite journal|author= Kurt Otten |url=http://www.hammerschmidt-hummel.de/portraet1.htm |title=Hildegard Hammerschmidt-Hummel, Wiesbaden, zum 60. Geburtstag [Porträts] |year=2005|volume=16|issue=1|pages=217-221 |journal=Anglistik: Mitteilungen des Deutschen Anglistenverbandes / Anglistik: International Journal of English Studies|accessdate=2008-08-06] In 2007, a cultural magazine paid tribute to several of Hammerschmidt-Hummel’s books on Shakespeare, calling her "one of the greatest Shakespeare scholars since Harold Bloom“.cite journal|author= |url=|title=About Shakespeare | year=2007|month=August | volume= |issue= | pages=66-67 |journal=Art Quarterly ] For the first time, the author applied truly trans-disciplinary research methods to study Shakespeare’s time, outer appearance, life and work on the basis of the numerous new historical sources, visual and textual, that she discovered or reinterpreted. Evaluating the new source material with the help of numerous specialists, among them identification experts from the German Federal Criminal Police Office (BKA = CID / FBI), Professors of Medicine, physicists, 3D engineers, botanists, archivists, an archaealogist, an architect, a cultural historian, an expert on old masters, a linguist, a palaeographer, theologists, jurists and literary scholars, Hammerschmidt-Hummel was able to offer conclusive answers to many of the unresolved problems of Shakespeare’s life and literary career, viewed against the backdrop of the turbulent times he lived in.

Biographical information [See also Contemporary Authors (CA). A Bio-Bibliographical Guide to Current Writers, forthcoming edition;

*Kürschners Deutscher Gelehrten-Kalender 2009;
*Who’s Who, 14. ed. (2008);
*„German professor catches Shakespeare fever after reading Macbeth at school“, „Germany Land of Ideas“, Dpa - Deutsche Presse-Agentur (2006);
*K. Otten, „Hildegard Hammerschmidt-Hummel ...“, Anglistik 16:1 (2005), pp. 217-221;
*„Curriculum Vitae“ (http://www.hammerschmidt-hummel.de).]

Education, academic career and employment

Hammerschmidt-Hummel studied English and American Literature, Ancient, Medieval, and Modern History as well as Political Science at the University of Marburg from 1967 to 1972. In 1970, she became a member of the Studienstiftung des Deutschen Volkes (German National Merit Foundation). She received her PhD in English Literature at the University of Marburg (Germany) in 1972. In 1974, she was awarded a scholarship by the Deutsche Forschungsgemeinschaft (German Research Foundation) for two and a half years to prepare her Habilitationsschrift (post-docterate dissertation). After her habilitation at the University of Mainz in 1977, she was granted the venia legendi and the title ‘Professor’. She has been teaching English Literature and Cultural Studies at the Universities of Marburg and Mainz since 1977. From 1979 to 1982, she served as Consul for Cultural Affairs at the German Consulate General in Toronto. From 1984 to 1985, she was visiting professor at the University of Kassel (Germany). From 1982 to 2005 Hammerschmidt-Hummel was the long-standing senior research scholar and editor of the research project ‘The Shakespeare Illustration’, funded by the German Research Foundation (Bonn) and the National Academy (Academy of Sciences and Literature), Mainz. She greatly enlarged the Shakespeare Illustration Archive’s collection at the University of Mainz (since 1996 at the Mainz National Academy) (from c. 1600 to c. 7400 illustratons) - after the founder of the archive, the eminent German Shakespeare scholar, Professor Horst Oppel, Hammerschmidt-Hummel’s former supervisor, had died in 1982. In 1996, she was granted a one-year award with travel funding by the German Research Council, allowing her to carry out specific investigations in English churches, castles, galleries, museums and libraries with regard to the authenticity and history of several of Shakespeare’s portraits. This also enabled her to pursue more broadly conceived studies, with a view to throwing light upon the religious and cultural-historical context within which the origins and functions of these images must be seen. Her many years of research in the field of „Shakespeare in art“ resulted in a three-volume study she compiled, authored and edited. Featuring 3100 photographs of works of art to Shakespeare’s plays, it was published by Hammerschmidt-Hummel in 2003. In 2005, she donated the Archive’s unpublished collection to the Central Library of the University of Mainz where it is now accessible in digitized form under its new name: „Shakespeare-Bildarchiv Oppel - Hammerschmidt“. Hammerschmidt-Hummel is married to a retired chief executive officer in the German cement industry. They have one daughter.

Main fields of research work

hakespeare studies

Authenticating the Chandos portrait, the Flower portrait, the Davenant bust and the Darmstadt Shakespeare death mask

Between 1995 and 2005, Hammerschmidt-Hummel was able to prove the identity, authenticity and lifelikeness of four images of William Shakespeare, i.e. the Chandos portrait (National Portrait Gallery, London), the Flower portrait (Royal Shakespeare Company Collection, Stratford-upon-Avon), the Davenant bust (The Garrick Club, London), and the Darmstadt Shakespeare death mask (Hesse State and University Library, Darmstadt, Germany), with the help of numerous specialists, among them identification experts from the German Federal Criminal Police Office (BKA = CID / FBI), medical specialists, physicists, 3D engineers, archivists and an expert on old masters. A most important precondition of all of the author’s investigations into Elizabethan and Jacobean portraits, drawings, busts, death masks etc was the fact that these images are executed in such a true-to-life manner that today’s identification specialists can identify the persons portrayed, and medical experts are able to diagnose their illnesses and assess their progressive pathological states. By diagnosing and tracing the development of the signs of illness in Shakespeare’s face, first noticed by Hammerschmidt-Hummel, her medical experts also identified and verified the most probable cause of Shakespeare’s death. The conspicuous growth on the upper left eyelid they interpreted as Mikulicz Syndrome, an abnormality of the tear glands, in this case probably cancerous; the swelling in the nasal corner of the left eye as a fine caruncular tumour; the considerable swelling on the forehead (in conjunction with the other pathological symptoms) as systemic sarcoidosis, i.e. an internal disease that affects the organs and takes a very protracted course, but proves fatal. The identification tests as well as the medical assessment show that the poet must have sat in person for the Chandos portrait, the Flower portrait and the Davenant bust. They reveal that the death mask must have been taken from Shakespeare’s face, shortly after his death. In 2006, Hammerschmidt-Hummel presented her results on the identity, authenticity and history of the portraits investigated, including medical assessments of their visible illnesses as well as her suggestions as to their possible creators, in a book, titled The True Face of William Shakespeare. [
*The True Face of William Shakespeare: The Poet’s Death Mask and Likenesses from Three Periods of His Life. London: Chaucer Press, 2006, translated from the German by Alan Bance. ISBN 978-1904449560Reviews:
*Tom Merriam, „A Question of Authenticity“, Religion and the Arts, forthcoming;
*Michael Patterson, Theatre Research International 32 (2007), pp. 327-328;
*„About Shakespeare“, Art Quarterly (August 2007), pp. 66-67;

*Peter Milward, The Renaissance Bulletin 33 (2006), pp. 61-91;

*Douglas Galbi, purple motes. A Journal of Whimsy and Hope [http://purplemotes.net/2006/09/] (18 September 2006);
*Massimo Andreis, Focus Storia (Giugno-Iuglio 2006), pp. 14-15;

*The Australian (16 March 2006);

*„Shuffled off this mortal coil by cancer’s cruel disfigurement blow“, National Review of Medicine. Essential News for Canada’s Physicians 3:5 (15 March 2006);
*Times of Oman (7 March 2006);
*Alan Riding, „To be or not to be the Bard’s portrait?“, International Herald Tribune (Europe) (3 March 2006);
*Jill Lawless, AP, Deseret News, World & nation (2 March 2006);
*Rossella Lorenzi, News in Science (2 March 2006) http://www.abc.net.au/science/articles/2006/03/02/1582326.htm, and „Shakespeare died of rare cancer?“, Discovery Channel (1 March 2006);
*„The Model Bard“, Rare Book Review: The News Magazine for the Book World (27 February 2006);
*Nigel Reynolds, Weekend Argus and The Sydney Morning Herald (25 February 2006);
*Rob Edwards, „Is this the Bard I see before me“, New Scientist (25 February 2006) [NewScientist.com news service - 24 February 2006] ; http://technology.newscientist.com/article/mg18925404.200.html
*A N Wilson, Evening Standard (24 February 2006);
*The Internet Writing Journal (24 February 2006);
*Sophia Shamhart, Phenomena: Alternate History (24 February 2006);
*CBC Arts, The China Post, Web India.com, Science Daily, Washington’s Classical Station, WGMS, United Press International, London, England (24 February 2006);
*„Images ‘show face of Shakespeare’. Forensic experts claim to have proved a bust a death mask are the exact likeness of William Shakespeare“, BBC News (23 February 2006);
*„Researchers’ hunt for face of Shakespeare. A team of German scientists claims to have solved the mystery of what William Shakespeare looked like. The investigation was led by Dr Hildegard Hammerschmidt-Hummel ...“, „Today“, BBC Radio 4 [http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/entertainment/4742716.stm] ; (23 February 2006);
*Nigel Reynolds, „Lump above eye that ‘killed Shakespeare’. German academic throws art world into turmoil after using police techniques to examine portraits of the playwright“, The Daily Telegraph (23 February 2006); Ian Johnston, „Is this the true face of Shakespeare? Bard laid bare in book claiming he died from cancer“, The Scotsman (23 February 2006);
*„Garrick Club’s bust of Shakespeare is a match for death mask, say scholars“, The Times (23 February 2006);
*„Portrait Controversy“, The British Shakespeare Asscociation (23 February 2006);
*Louise Jury, „Is this bust the true face of Shakespeare?“, The Independent (23 February 2006);
*Tom Price, „Death mask exposes the real Shakespeare“, Daily Express (23 February 2006);
*Tom Kelly, „Was Shakespeare killed by cancer?, Daily Mail (23 February 2006);
*„Shakespeare bust a ‘match’ with death mask. Report: Models of both reveal forehead, eyes, nose are a ‘perfect fit’“, Agence France-Presse (23 February 2006);
*Lawrence van Gelder, „The Many Faces of Shakespeare: Is This One Really His?, The New York Times [Sunday Book Review] (23 February 2006);
*Natalie Bennett, „Shakespeare’s Face ...“, Blogcritics.org (23 February 2006);
*The Guardian, Seed Magazine, The New York Sun (23 February 2006).

Replies:
*Author's reply to Christopher Hudson, „The Real Shakespeare“, Sunday Times Magazine (5 February 2006): „Genuine or not genuine?“ ("Echt oder nicht echt?") in GEO.de [http://www.geo.de/GEO/kultur/geschichte/5071.html] (14 February 2006).

Original German edition:
*Die authentischen Gesichtszüge William Shakespeares: Die Totenmaske des Dichters und Bildnisse aus drei Lebensabschnitten. Hildesheim: Olms, 2006.

Reviews:
*Wolfgang Speyer, Symbolism, forthcoming;
*Till Kinzel, Informationsmittel IFB. Digitales Rezensionsorgan für Bibliothek und Wissenschaft 06-2-254;
*„Shakespeare als große Leidenschaft“, Allgemeine Zeitung (3 August 2006);
*Peter Pauly, „Shakespeare in den Fängen des BKA ... Geheimnisse um authentische Gesichtszüge gelüftet“, Der Neue Tag (29 April 2006);
*Marcus Hladek, „Schau mir in die Augen, William Shakespeare!“, Frankfurter Neue Presse (27 April 2006);
*„Das wahre Gesicht William Shakespeares“, GEO (March 2006), pp. 180-181;
*„Der wirkliche Shakespeare“, Scienzz (24 February 2006);
*„Literaturforschung mit Hilfe des Bundeskriminalamts. Mainzer Professorin auf der Suche nach dem Antlitz Shakespeares“, Frankfurter Allgemeine Zeitung (23 February 2006);
*Stefan Benz, „Die Leiden eines großen Dichters. Shakespeare-Forschung - Mainzer Anglistin vergleicht Bildnisse und zeichnet ein Porträt des Künstlers als kranker Mann“, Darmstädter Echo (23 February 2006);
*Gert Blumenstock, „Bibliothek zeigt Shakespeare-Maske. Letztes Abbild des englischen Dichters ist neue Atttraktion in Darmstadt / Echtheit wird nicht mehr angezweifelt“, Frankfurter Rundschau [Darmstadt, Groß Gerau] (23 February 2006);
*„Echter Shakespeare“, Wiener Zeitung (23 February 2006);
*„Anglistin hält ‘Davenant-Büste’ von Shakespeare für echt“, „Kulturzeit“, 3SAT (22 February 2006); *„Büste von Shakespeare ist echt“, Der Tagesspiegel (22 February 2006);
*Zeitung für die Zentralschweiz, zentralschweiz online (22 February 2006);
*„Beweise für Echtheit von Shakespeare-Büste, „Wissen und Technik“, N24 (22 February 2006);
*„Wie sah William Shakespeare wirklich aus?“, all-in.de - Das Allgäu online (22 February 2006);
*„Forschung mit Hilfe des BKA. Ist Shakespeare-Büste echt?“, hr online.de (22 February 2006);
*„Shakespeare war ein kranker Mann ...“, da facto. Bildung und Wissenschaft. Journal aus Darmstadt [http://www.dafacto.de/artikel/ww/04327/print.html] (22 February 2006);
*„Antlitz von Shakespeare bekommt Kontur“, Handelsblatt [Wissenschaft] (21 February 2006);
*Matthias Gretzschel, „Der endgültig echte wahre Shakespeare. Entdeckt: Der Dichter hatte ein Hautproblem“, Hamburger Abendblatt (21 February 2006) http://www.abendblatt.de/daten/2006/02/21/535902.html ;
*„Wie Shakespeare wirklich ausgesehen hat“, ORF ON Science [News from the World of Science] [http://science.orf.at/science/news/143504] (21 February 2006);
*„Exklusiv: Das wirklich wahre Antlitz William Shakespeares“, Campus-med-Wissenschafts-Meldung [Campus-med.de/index.php?module=myDPANews&func=content&file=20] ;
*„Exklusiv: Das wirklich wahre Antlitz William Shakespeares“, na news aktuell [http://www.presseportal.de/story.htx?nr=788210&firmaid=7861] (20 February 2006);
*„Exklusiv bei GEO: Shakespeare lebensecht“, Pressemeldung des Magazins GEO vom 14. Februar 2006 (Press Release of the Magazine GEO - 14 February 2006) [http://www.geo.de/GEO/kultur/geschichte/5072.html] .

Previous publications on the subject:
*„What did Shakespeare Look Like? Authentic Portraits and the Death Mask. Methods and Results of the Tests of Authenticity.“ Symbolism. An International Journal of Critical Aesthetics 1 (New York, 2000), pp. 1 - 41, 25 Ill.;
*„Das Shakespeare-Bild und Bilder Shakespeares am Ende des 20. Jahrhunderts,“ Anglistik. Mitteilungen des Deutschen Anglistenverbandes (March 1998), pp. 117- 30, 3 Ill.;
*„Shakespeares Totenmaske und die Shakespeare-Bildnisse ‘Chandos’ und ‘Flower’. Zusätzliche Echtheitsnachweise auf der Grundlage eines neuen Fundes,“ Anglistik. Mitteilungen des Deutschen Anglistenverbandes (March, 1998), pp. 101-115, 12 Ill.;
*„Neuer Beweis für die Echtheit des Flower-Porträts und der Darmstädter Shakespeare-Totenmaske. Ein übereinstimmendes Krankheitssymptom im linken Stirnbereich von Gemälde und Gipsabguss“, Anglistik. Mitteilungen des Verbandes Deutscher Anglisten (September 1996), pp. 115-136, 7 Ill.;
*„Neue Erkenntnisse über die Physiognomie William Shakespeares“, Anglistik. Mitteilungen des Verbandes Deutscher Anglisten (March 1996), pp. 119-122, 3 Ill.;
*„Ist die Darmstädter Shakespeare-Totenmaske echt?“ Shakespeare Jahrbuch 132 (1996), pp. 58 - 74, 6 Ill. Sightly abbreviated version of paper given at the Press Conference of the City of Darmstadt (the owner of Shakespeare’s death mask) on 22 June 1995.

Reviews on previous publications:
*Rotraut Hock, „Shakespeare saß Modell. Forscherin erkennt eine Büste des Dramatikers als direktes Abbild“, Allgemeine Zeitung Mainz (28 October 2005);
*„BKA sorgt für Gewissheit. Shakespeare-Büste authentisch“, n-tv.de, Newsletter (16 October 2005); *„Shakespeare-Büste laut Mainzer Forscherin echt“, Der Standard (14 October 2005);
*„Mainzer Forscherin: Echtheit von Shakespeare-Büste jetzt bewiesen“, Kölner Stadtanzeiger (14 October 2005);
*„Mainzer Forscherin will zeitgenössische Shakespeare-Büste gefunden haben. Ein Vergleich mit der in Darmstadt aufbewahrten Totenmaske soll die Echtheit beweisen“, Der Standard (derStandard.at) (30 August 2004);
*„Personalien“, Die Tagespost (26 August 2004);
*„Shakespeare neu vermessen. Totenmaske dreidimensional“, Frankfurter Allgemeine Zeitung (24 August 2004);
*„Mainzer Forscherin findet neues Shakespeare-Bildnis (A Mainz researcher finds a new Shakespeare portrait) [Wissenschaft/Literatur] , Dpa - Deutsche Presseagentur (23 August 2004);
*Annette Krämer-Alig, „Shakespeare im Computertomographen“, Darmstädter Echo [www.echo-online.de/suedhessen/detail.php3?id=254831) (23 August 2004);
*Douglas Galbi, “C. Epiphany, or What You Will”, Sense in Communication (2004), [http://www.galbithink.org/] (14 January 2004);
*Astrid Ludwig, “Des Dichters Abbild aus Gips liegt in einer alarmgesicherten Vitrine. Die Stadt Darmstadt besitzt Shakespeares Totenmaske ...”, Frankfurter Rundschau (7 November 2002);
*Michael Hertl, Totenmasken. Was vom Leben und Sterben bleibt (Stuttgart, 2002), pp. 121-126 (On the Darmstadt Shakespeare death mask and Hammerschmidt-Hummel’s proofs of authenticity);
*Oliver Nieder, “Geschwollenes Auge als Beweis für Echtheit. Tränendrüse gab den Ausschlag...”, Mainzer Rhein-Zeitung (29 April 1998);
*Steve Connor (Science Correspondent), “Germans put a face to Shakespeare”, The Sunday Times (15 March 1998);
*Jan Kanter, “Angst vor der Zerstörung eines Mythos. Wissenschaftler beweisen Echtheit der Totenmaske Shakespeares - und stoßen damit auf Widerstand”, Die Welt am Sonntag (31 March 1998);
*Marcia Pointon, „Shakespeare, Portraiture and National Identity“, Shakespeare-Jahrbuch 133 (1997), pp. 29-53 (A revised version of this essay, titled „National Identity and the Afterlife of Shakespeare’s Portraits“, appeared in the exhibition catalogue Searching for Shakespeare by Tarnya Cooper. With essays by M. Pointon, J. Shapiro and S. Wells, London: National Portrait Gallery, 2006, pp. 217-225 - see author’s review in IFB 06-2-255);
*Günther Stoll, “Shakespeare oder nicht Shakespeare?”, Damals (September 1996);
*Frank Pommer, „Das Kainsmal auf der Stirn. Neuer Beweis für die Echtheit der Darmstädter Shakespeare-Totenmaske?“, Die Rheinpfalz (6 July 1996);
*Jean-Paul Picaper, „Le vrai visage de Shakespeare“, Le Figaro (8 ay 1996);

*"Kulturnotizen”, Neue Zürcher Zeitung (1 / 2 June 1996) (On the death mask, the portraits ‘Chandos’ and ‘Flower’ and Hammerschmidt-Hummel’s proof of authenticity);
*“Kulturnotizen”, Deutsche Tagespost (14. Mai 1996);
*Rod Usher, “The Bard or not the Bard. A German academic thinks she has the lowdown on Shakespeare's looks - and his premature demise”, Time Magazine (13 May 1996);
*“Darmstädter Shakespeare echt”, Darmstädter Echo (25 April 1996);
*Roger Boyes (Germany Correspondent), “Computer unmasks Bard’s cancer”, The Times (24 April 1996);
*Dietrich Schwanitz, “Shakespeares Auge”, Die Zeit - Magazin (26 January 1996);
*“Die BBC filmt in Darmstadt”, Darmstädter Echo (25 November 1995);
*“People”, International Herald Tribune (21./22. October 1995);
*Rob Edwards, “Was Shakespeare the man behind the mask?”, New Scientist (21 October 1995); http://technology.newscientist.com/article/mg14820001.500-was-shakespeare-the-man-behind-the-mask.html
*Robert Uhlig, “Mask suggests eye cancer killed Shakespeare”, The Daily Telegraph (19 October 1995);
*Claudia Gottschling, “Das BKA fahndet nach Shakespeare. Neue Beweise sollen die Identität des berühmten Dichters endgültig entlarven”, Focus (13 November 1995);
*Sigrid Feeser, “Shakespeare oder nicht Shakespeare - keine Frage mehr? Eine Mainzer Anglistikprofessorin legt Beweise für die Echtheit der Totenmaske des englischen Dramatikers in Darmstädter Besitz vor”, Die Rheinpfalz (1 Juli 1995);
*Bertram Eisenhauer, “Bist du gebannt in diese bleiche Kruste? Eine Forscherin will die Echtheit der Totenmaske Shakespeares bewiesen haben”, Frankfurter Allgemeine Zeitung (26 June 1995);
*Jörg Feuck, “Darmstädter Totenmaske soll die echten Gesichtszüge von Shakespeare tragen”, Frankfurter Rundschau (23 June 1995);
*“’Kein Zweifel’ an Shakespeares Totenmaske. Mainzer Wissenschaftlerin erläutert in Darmstadt ihre vergleichenden Untersuchungen”, Frankfurter Allgemeine Zeitung (23. Juni 1995);
*Guido Rijkhoek, “’Damit besitzen wir ein Stück von ihm selber’. Die Darmstädter Totenmaske Shakespeares”, Wiesbadener Kurier (23 June 1995).

Replies to reviews on previous publications:
Author’s reponse to
*Marcia Pointon, „Shakespeare, Portraiture and National Identity“, Shakespeare-Jahrbuch 133 (1997), pp. 29-53, in: „Das Shakespeare-Bild und Bilder Shakespeares am Ende des 20. Jahrhunderts“, Anglistik. Mitteilungen des Verbandes deutscher Anglisten (March 1998), pp. 117-130. See also Hammerschmidt-Hummel’s review on Searching for Shakespeare by Tarnya Cooper. With essays by M. Pointon, J. Shapiro and S. Wells, London: National Portrait Gallery, 2006, in: IFB. Digitales Rezensionsorgan für Bibliothek und Wissenschaft 06-2-255.]

On the author's additional findings concerning the genuineness of the Flower portrait, restored at the Ashmolean Museum, Oxford, in 1979, see: 'The Flower Portrait: Press Releases and Current Debate'. [The Flower Portrait: Press Releases and Current Debate
Press Releases:
*“Where is the original Flower Portrait?” Chaucer Press, London, England (24 October 2007) - English
*“Where is the original Flower Portrait?” University of Mainz, Germany (24 October 2007) - English - GermanThe Flower Portrait in the Royal Shakespeare Company Collection, Stratford-upon-Avon: Original or Copy?
*“The Flower Portrait in the Royal Shakespeare Company Collection, Stratford-upon-Avon: Original or Copy?”, in Hildegard Hammerschmidt-Hummel, The True Face of William Shakespeare. The Poet’s Death Mask and Likenesses from Three Periods of His Life. London: Chaucer Press, 2006, pp. 143-147.

Articles:
*Timothy Sexton, „The Mystery of the Shakespeare Flower Portrait: A Tale of Forgery and Battling Art Experts“. A Story Just Begging to Be Turned into a Book or Screenplay“, (4 November 2007);
*Clare Fitzsimmons, „RSC portrait [the Flower portrait] switched for a fake says scholar“, Stratford Observer (1 November 2007);
*Rob Edwards, „Mystery of ‘missing’ Shakespeare portrait“, New Scientist Magazine (27 October 2007), p. 21 [Internet publication: http://www.robedwards.com/2007/10/mystery-of-miss.html] (25 October 2007); http://www.newscientist.com/channel/opinion/mg19626275.100-mystery-of-missing-shakespeare-portrait.html
*Dalya Alberge, „Double, double, Shakespeare oil in trouble“, The Times (25 October 2007) http://entertainment.timesonline.co.uk/tol/arts_and_entertainment/visual_arts/article2733625.ece, „Double, double, Shakespeare oil in trouble“, The Times (25 October 2007) [Slightly abridged printed version] , „Do mine eyes deceive me, or is this portrait a mere forgery?", The Times (25 October 2007) [Further abridged printed version] ;
*„Has Bard’s original portrait been replaced by a fake?“, World News - ANI (25 October 2007);
*„Bard’s original portrait or a fake?“, Zeenews.com (India edition) (25 October 2007);
*„Shakespeare’s ‘Flower Portrait’ not a replica, claims curator“, News - ANI [http://in.news.yahoo.com/071031/139/6mmsm.html] (31 October 2007).

Interviews:
*“Ist das echte Shakespeare-Porträt doch falsch? Eine Debatte in England“ (Doris Schäfer-Noske interviews Hildegard Hammerschmidt-Hummel), „Kultur heute“, Deutschlandfunk (Cologne) (28 October 2007). http://www.dradio.de/dlf/sendungen/kulturheute/687401/.

Author’s Letters to the Editor:
*Stratford Observer (6 November 2007);
*New Scientist (27 October 2007);
*The Times (25 October 2007);
*Times online (27 October 2007);

For abstracts of articles and full texts of letters to the editors see: http://www.hammerschmidt-hummel.de – “Current Debate – Where is the original Flower portrait?” –
*b. Newspaper articles,
*c. Letters to the Editor. For interview see:http://www.dradio.de/dlf/sendungen/kulturheute/687401/.]

Identifying Shakespeare’s Dark Lady

Hammerschmidt-Hummel’s novel visual and textual source material, brought to light during a decade of research in England and on the Continent, unexpectedly led to the discovery of the identity of Shakespeare’s Dark Lady. The famous, emblematically designed Elizabethan painting The Persian Lady (aka . [
*Das Geheimnis um Shakespeares ‘Dark Lady’: Dokumentation einer Enthüllung. Darmstadt: Wissenschaftliche Buchgesellschaft und Primus Verlag, 1999 [The Secret Surrounding Shakespeare’s Dark Lady: Uncovering a Mystery]

Reviews:
*ARIADNE - Austrian National Library, NewsLetter 44: Sprache & Literatur (2000);
*W. Dörge-Heller, “Shakespeare und die Dark Lady”, www.lebensraeume-var.de/darklady, updated 5 April 2003;
*“Bücher des Jahres“ (Books of the year), Kölner Stadt-Anzeiger (10 December 2002);
*Muriel Mirak-Weißbach, Neue Solidarität 29.10 (6 March 2002);
*Clemens Rech, “Das Geheimnis um Shakespeares ‘Dark Lady’ im Spiegel von Medien und Fachwelt”, Anglistik (September 2000), pp. 161-170;
*Wilhelm Hortmann, “Look here upon this picture and on this” - Hildegard Hammerschmidt-Hummel, Das Geheimnis um Shakespeares ‘Dark Lady’. Dokumentation einer Enthüllung”, Shakespeare-Jahrbuch 136 (2000), pp. 298-301;
*Raimund Borgmeier, Neue Zürcher Zeitung (22 January 2000);
*Ursula Sautter, “Darkness Visible. A new book purports to reveal the long-hidden identity of the Dark Lady of Shakespeare’s sonnets”, Time Magazine (6 December 1999);
*Anna Marohn, “Warum der britische Prinz die Gene Shakespeares trägt. Resultat einer Dreiecksbeziehung des ausgehenden 16. Jahrhunderts”, Mainzer Rhein-Zeitung (24 November 1999);
*David Eisermann and Hans-Jörg Modlmayr, “Mosaik”, Westdeutscher Rundfunk [WDR] (23 November 1999);

*Esther Knorr-Anders, “Die Früchte ernten andere, die Schalen nur sind mein ... das Geheimnis der ‘Dark Lady’”, Süddeutsche Zeitung (10 November 1999);
*Oliver Groß, “Shakespeares verbotene Früchte. Mainzer Literaturwissenschaftlerin auf den Spuren einer Affäre”, Frankfurter Allgemeine Zeitung [Rhein-Main-Zeitung] (22 September 1999);
*Jürgen Diesner, “Shakespeares ‘Dark Lady’ identifiziert?“, Darmstädter Echo (10 September 1999);

*Claudia Gottschling, “Lady Di und der Dichter. Shakespeare in love ... ”, Focus (6 September 1999); *“Is Prince William Descended From Shakespeare?”, Reuters (22 August, 1999);

*„William finds a dark lady in his life“, The Sunday Times (22 August 1999), frontpage;
*Caroline Gascoigne and Nicholas Hellen, „Is William descended from Will?“, The Sunday Times (22 August 1999), p. 4;
*Klaus Faiß, Report on Das Geheimnis um Shakespeare’s ‘Dark Lady’ (9 February 1998);
*Dieter Wuttke, Report on Das Geheimnis um Shakespeare’s ‘Dark Lady’ (27 January 1998). "'

Author's responses to:
*Wolfang Riehle, Anglistik 13.1 (2002), in Anglistik 13.2 (2002), pp. 139-151
*Raimund Borgmeier, Neue Zürcher Zeitung (22 January 2000), in Anglistik 11.2 (2000), pp. 140-154.
*Author’s Letter to the Editor, Daily Telegraph (London) (2 October 1999).]

Presenting proof for Shakespeare’s secret Catholicism

In her book, Die verborgene Existenz des William Shakespeare (2001), which is based on new external evidence, documentary and circumstantial, Hammerschmidt-Hummel was able to prove the dramatist’s secret Catholicism. The study throws light on a much neglected scenario: the new legal position created by Elizabeth I’s anti-Catholic legislation and its devastating consequences for her Catholic subjects. The English Catholics in Shakespeare’s time had to endure draconian punishment. On the basis of numerous new sources, or ones newly made accessible, it is demonstrated that Shakespeare was born into a Catholic environment, that his parents and relatives, teachers and friends, his first employer and his literary patron were all adherents of the old faith. The author presents many indications and clues that - just like hundreds of young English Catholics, educated at the new Catholic English College at Douai/Rheims (established in 1568) to avoid the compulsory Oath of Supremacy at Oxford and Cambridge - Shakespeare, too, would have acquired a sound education in the humanities (Lower Studies) on the Continent, including a basic training as a writer for the stage. According to Hammerschmidt-Hummel’s new sources, the dramatist also played a significant role in the Catholic underground and - during the so-called „lost years“ (1585-92) - visited Rome several times, using pseudonyms referring to his hometown Stratford-upon-Avon. In addition, Hammerschmidt-Hummel presents circumstantial as well as hard evidence for her assumption that Shakespeare, after having concluded his brilliant literary career in London, made a remarkable contribution to the survival of the old religion. By purchasing the eastern gatehouse on the site of the former monastery in Blackfriars in London in 1613, the playwright acquired a building that had already been used by the Catholic underground for decades to provide shelter for persecuted priests and help to escape to the Continent. In an appendix chapter of the book Hammerschmidt-Hummel presents new evidence for the exact (hitherto unknown) location of Shakespeare’s Blackfriars Theatre. [
*Die verborgene Existenz des William Shakespeare: Dichter und Rebell im katholischen Untergrund. Freiburg im Breisgau: Verlag Herder, 2001, 16 illus. [The Hidden Life of William Shakespeare: Poet and Rebel in the Catholic Underground] . ISBN 978-3451274176

Reviews:
*Helmut Waldmann, „William Shakespeare“, in: „Manichaeism Shapes Modern Europe ...“, ARAM (Oxford) 16 (2004), pp. 285-293;
*Carsten Greiwe, „’Carbones’ [scientific publications of the Cardinal Frings Society] berichten vom Katholizismus Shakespeares“, Neuss-Grevenbroicher Zeitung [ngz-online] (updated 12 August 2003);

*Lothar Bleeker, „Die verborgene Existenz des William Shakespeare“, Carbones (2002);
*Richard Williamson, “Hamlet - Alien amidst apostates” (23 April 2002);
*Hans-Viktor von Sury, “Shakespeares geheimes Doppelleben. Lasst Bilder sprechen - und Fachleute. Vernetztes Denken der Shakespeare-Forscherin Hildegard Hammerschmidt-Hummel enthüllt Shakespeares Religion und liefert den Schlüssel zum Werk”, Schweiz. Kath. Wochenzeitung (12 April 2002);
*Elisabeth Böttiger, „Die verborgene Existenz des William Shakespeare“, Ibykus. Zeitschrift für Poesie, Wissenschaft und Staatskunst 4 (2001), pp. 43-44;
*Muriel Mirak-Weissbach und Elisabeth Böttiger (interviewers), „William Shakespeare - Dichter und Rebell aus dem katholischen Untergrund“, Ibykus. Zeitschrift für Poesie, Wissenschaft und Staatskunst (4. Quartal 2001), pp. 44-51;
*Kurt Otten, Landshuter Zeitung [Das neue Buch] (15 December 2001);
*Viola Bolduan, „Enttarnung eines Doppellebens“, Wiesbadener Kurier (20 October 2001);
*Viola Bolduan, ”Shakespeare mit Haut und Haar. Anglistin Hildegard Hammerschmidt-Hummel bleibt der Person auf der Spur”, Journal. Wochenend-Magazin der Rhein Main Presse (6 October 2001);
*Rochus Groß (presenter), ”Hofpoet oder Rebell. Wer war William Shakespeare?”, “Forum”, Südwestrundfunk (SWR2) (5 September 2001);
*Kurt Otten, „Die verborgene Existenz des William Shakespeare ...“ by H. Hammerschmidt-Hummel, Anglistik. Mitteilungen des Deutschen Anglistenverbandes (September 2001), pp. 181-185;
*Thomas Theisinger, “Die verborgene Existenz des William Shakespeare. ... Neue Dokumente und interdisziplinäre Ansätze”, Internet-Publikation (Amazon) (August 2001);
*Aldo Parmeggiani, “William Shakespeare - War er Katholik oder nicht?”, “Aktenzeichen”, Radio Vatican (21 July 2001);
*Peter Pauly, “William Shakespeares geheimnisvolles Leben. Mainzer Wissenschaftlerin beschreibt den englischen Dichter im katholischen Untergrund”, Der Neue Tag (7 Juli 2001);
*„Shakespeares heimliche Reisen nach Rom. Seit zwei Jahrhunderten wird gestritten welcher Konfession William Shakespeare angehörte. Die Forscherin Hammerschmidt-Hummel legt erstmals Beweise vor“, Die Welt am Sonntag (15 April 2001);
*„Buchtipps“, Anzeiger. Die Fachzeitschrift des österreichischen Buchhandels (April 2001);
*Arnd Rühle, „Hallo, Hamlet“, Frankfurter Allgemeine Sonntagszeitung (25 March 2001);
*Gisela Kirschstein, „’Shakespeare ein Katholik’. Mainzer Literaturwissenschaftlerin hat neue Quellen ausgewertet“, Wiesbadener Tagblatt (21 March 2001);
*Viola van Melis, “Shakespeare ‘im katholischen Untergrund’. Anglistin will Religion des Dichters erstmals bewiesen haben”, KNA (23/24 March 2001);
*Ulrich Waschki, “Shakespeares geheimnisvolles Doppelleben: Stoff für Hollywood”, Dpa Deutsche Presseagentur (21 March 2001).]

Outlining a completely new image of Shakespeare as a man and writer

In 2007, Hammerschmidt-Hummel published an enlarged and revised English edition of her comprehensive, richly illustrated Shakespeare biography, which is based on additional new (hitherto neglected) historical sources, textual and visual, and also on the documentary and circumstantial evidence presented in the author’s earlier books. This book, titled The Life and Times of William Shakespeare, offers conclusive answers to many of the unresolved problems of Shakespeare’s life and literary career, viewed against the turbulent historical, religious and political times he lived in. By applying cross-disciplinary research methods and by evaluating the novel (written and visual) historical sources in close co-operation with numerous specialists from various disciplines, the author was able to outline a completely new image of Shakespeare. The most essential key to the understanding of Shakespeare’s life, most of which was hitherto shrouded in mystery, and also of his literary work, proved to be the poet’s faith, as all parts of the book are able to demonstrate. In Shakespeare’s day, religion was central to the life of every individual. As a successful playwright in London, Shakespeare placed his hopes in the politically powerful Earl of Essex, the closest friend of his patron and friend, the Earl of Southampton, who also became the poet’s rival in love. Essex stood for a more tolerant religious policy. The downfall, rebellion and execution of Essex are the most momentous events in the final years of Elizabeth I’s reign and can also be considered as the most incisive influences in the life of Shakespeare as a writer. Hamlet, Hammerschmidt-Hummel suggests (taking up some of the views the British Shakespeare scholar John Dover Wilson expressed in the 1930s) may be understood as a memorial to Shakespeare’s dead political hero. In addition, she presents new historical reasons for the fact that, in Hamlet, Catholic thought and ritual are depicted more openly and brazenly than before. However, she makes it quite clear that Shakespeare’s works can in no way be „reduced“ to a Catholic factional view. The author’s new biographical approach reveals that Shakespeare as a Catholic was living in most dangerous religious and political times and, therefore, had to keep his religious beliefs hidden at all times. Nearly half of his plays remained unpublished during his lifetime - most likely, Hammerschmidt-Hummel explains, because of their potentially explosive content. Only with the background of Shakespeare’s secret Catholicism in mind, can we, Hammerschmidt-Hummel argues, identify his political stance, and make sense of his sudden and abrupt switch from creating comedies to writing tragedies and problem plays. It is the complex inter-relationship of new (written and visual) source material, assessed with the help of numerous specialists, of contemporary history, biographical details, and literary production which finally led to new and unexpected insights into Shakespeare’s life, times and work. [
*The Life and Times of William Shakespeare, 1564-1616 (London: Chaucer Press, 2007), transl. from the German by Em. Professor Alan Bance.

Reviews:
*P. Milward, „Notes on The Life and Times of William Shakespeare ...“, The Heythrop Journal (Cambridge), forthcoming.
*A. Kramarz, „The Historical Shakespeare. A New Biography Offers New Facts About the Bard’s Life and Faith“, National Catholic Register (June 22-28, 2008);
*P. Milward, „Notes on The Life and Times of William Shakespeare ...“, The Renaissance Bulletin 34 (April, 2008), pp. 55-65.
*„Ten minutes with ... Hildegard Hammerschmidt-Hummel“, Family History Monthly 151 (Christmas 2007), p. 12; S. Goranson, „Remarkable biography“, www.amazon.com/review/product/ 1904449557 (15 December 2007).

Original German edition:
*William Shakespeare. Seine Zeit - Sein Leben - Sein Werk (Mainz: Philipp von Zabern, 2003).

Reviews:
*„About Shakespeare“, Art Quarterly. The New Renaissance (August 2007), pp. 66-67;
*Hans-Viktor von Sury, “William Shakespeare - entschlüsselt ...“, Theologisches (January 2006);

*Hans-Viktor von Sury, „Die Entschlüsselung des William Shakespeare“, Kath. Wochenzeitung (14 July 2006);
*Peter Pauly, „Shakespeare in den Fängen des BKA. ... Die ganz andere Biografie“, Der Neue Tag (29 April 2006);
*K. Schreiber, „William Shakespeare. Seine Zeit - Sein Leben - Sein Werk“, IFB (vormals Informationsmittel für Bibliotheken) 12/2004 (04-1-152);
*Muriel Mirak-Weissbach, „William Shakespeare. Seine Zeit - Sein Leben - Sein Werk“, Symbolism. A New International Annual of Critical Aesthetics VI (New York: AMS, 2004);
*Kurt Otten, „William Shakespeare. Seine Zeit - Sein Leben - Sein Werk“, Anglistik (September 2004); pp. 144-147;
*Thomas Merriam, Religion and the Arts (2004);

*„Editors and staff members recommend books for Christmas and long winter evenings“, Tages-Anzeiger (Switzerland) (13 December 2003);
*Muriel Mirak-Weissbach, Neue Solidarität (10 December 2003);
*Stefan Ringel, „Shakespeare und kein Ende“ - Hildegard Hammerschmidt-Hummels Shakespeare-Biographie und ihre Bücher zur Shakespeare-Illustration (1594-2000)“, SWR2 (23 August 2003);
*Uta Grossmann, „Dem Größten auf der Spur. Mainzer Anglistik-Professorin erforscht mit kriminalistischem Spürsinn das Leben des englischen Dramatikers William Shakespeare“, Frankfurter Rundschau (14 August 2003);
*[e-mail] - William Shakespeare. Seine Zeit - Sein Leben - Sein Werk, Archiv (22 July 2003);
*„Personen und Konflikte“, Publik-Forum. Zeitung kritischer Christen (11 July 2003);

*„Religion-News, ORF (30 June 2003);

*Wolfgang Stuppert, „ ... Das geheime Leben Shakespeares aufgedeckt“, Wiesbadener Tagblatt (18 June 2003);
*Eva Wodarz-Eichner, „Kunst - geknebelt von der Obrigkeit“, Wiesbadener Kurier (18 June 2003); *Esther Knorr-Anders, „ ... Die Wiesbadener Anglistin Hildegard Hammerschmidt-Hummel legt ihre große Biographie des Dramatikers vor“, Wiesbadener Kurier (11 June 2003);
*Rainer Schmitz, „’My outcast state’. Gefangen im Netz der Indizien ...“, Focus (12 May 2003);

*Gabi Henkel, „Der Schlüssel zum Verständnis seines Lebens. Erste umfassende Shakespeare-Biografie in deutscher Sprache. ...“, Allgemeine Zeitung Mainz (16 April 2003);
*Studiosus (April 2003); „Das Werk des Dichters im Bild“, Kunstbuchanzeiger 7.3 (2003);
*E.A.J. Honigmann, „Catholic Shakespeare? A Response to Hildegard Hammerschmidt-Hummel,“ Connotations 12:1 (2002-2003), pp. 52-60.

Replies:
*Thomas Merriam, „A Letter in Response to ‘Catholic Shakespeare’ [reply to Honigmann and Hammerschmidt-Hummel] ,“ Connotations 13:1-2 (2003-2004), pp. 103-104;Author’s responses to:
*E.A.J. Honigmann: ‘The most important subject that can possibly be’: A Reply to E.A.J. Honigmann, Connotations 12:2-3 (2002-2003), pp. 155-166;
*Rainer Schmitz, „My outcast state’. Gefangen im Netz der Indizien ...“, Focus (12 May 2003)
*Uta Grossmann, „Dem Größten auf der Spur“, Frankfurter Rundschau (14 August 2003);
Replies to all three articles on: [www.hammerschmidt-hummel.de] - "Books", "William Shakespeare. Seine Zeit - Sein Leben - Sein Werk" ]

hakespearean illustrations from 1594 to 2000

Professor Horst Oppel (1913-1982), a member of the Academy of Science and Literature at Mainz, had founded the Shakespeare Illustration Archive under difficult circumstances - immediately after the second world war at the then re-opened University of Mainz. Hammerschmidt-Hummel’s three-volume work, Die Shakespeare-Illustration (1594-2000), the first ot its kind, is dedicated to the memory of Horst Oppel and demonstrates the huge impact Shakespeare’s plays exerted on the visual arts from the beginning to the present. [
*Die Shakespeare-Illustration (1594-2000). Bildkünstlerische Darstellungen zu den Dramen William Shakespeares: Katalog, Geschichte, Funktion und Deutung. Mit Künstlerlexikon, klassifizierter Bibliographie und Registern (Shakespearian illustrations, 1594 to 2000: The work of artists on Shakespeare’s plays - Catalogue, history, function and interpretation, including a dictionary of artists, a classified bibliography and indexes) (Wiesbaden: Harrassowitz Verlag, 2003), 3 Vols.

Reports on the project:
*H. Hammerschmidt-Hummel, „Das Shakespeare-Bildarchiv an der Universität Mainz“, Mitteilungen des Verbandes deutscher Anglisten (September 1992), pp. 59-65;
*Christopher Plass, „Hamlet unter dem Dach versteckt. An der Mainzer Universität wird derzeit ein ‘Shakespeare-Bildarchiv’ aufgebaut“, Jogu. [Zeitschrift der Johannes Gutenberg-Universität] No. 107 (1987), p. 11;
*H. Hammerschmidt-Hummel, „Shakespeare in der Bildkunst - Arbeiten an einem Projekt“, Jahrbuch der Deutschen Shakespeare-Gesellschaft West (1986), pp. 138-146, „Shakespeare’s Hamlet in der Bildkunst“, Forschung. Mitteilungen der DFG (German Research Council) 2 (1984), 22-27, and „Shakespeare’s Hamlet in Pictorial Form. Illustrating a Tragedy“, German Research. Reports of the DFG 2-3 (1984), pp. 40-45.

Reviews:
*„About Shakespeare“, Art Quarterly (August 2007), pp. 66-67;

*Klaus Schreiber, IFB (formerly Informationsmittel für Bibliotheken), 12/2004;
*Berhard Geil, Journal für Kunstgeschichte 8:3 (2004), pp. 198-203;
*Sibylle Ehringhaus, Sehepunkte - Rezensionsjournal für die Geschichtswissenschaften 4:4 (2004), and Kunstform 5.4 (2004);
*Kurt Otten, Symbolism. A New International Annual of Critical Aesthetics VII (2005);
*Tobias Döring, Frankfurter Allgemeine Zeitung (2 December 2003);
*Stefan Ringel, „Literatur im Land“, SWR2 (23 August 2003);
*Alexander Menden, Süddeutsche Zeitung (23 April 2003);
*Verband deutscher Antiquare, „Buch des Monats“, www.antiquare.de/de/buchkunde.asp (March 2003). Author’s responses to:
*S. Ehringhaus, Sehepunkte - Rezensionsjournal für die Geschichtswissenschaften 4:4 (2004) http://www.sehepunkte.de/2004/04/c3927.html
*A. Menden, www.hammerschmidt-hummel.de, „Books“, Die Shakespeare-Illustration, „Replies“.] Shakespeare scholars and lovers of his dramatic works around the world are now able to study the visualizations of scenes and figures from the dramatist’s works, as well as the historical actors playing Shakespearian parts, on a comparative basis. Volume one contains the Prefaces of the Board of Directors (Professors Rudolf Böhm, Horst W. Drescher and Paul Goetsch) as well as that of the Chairman of the Commission of the Mainz Academy of Science and Literature, Werner Habicht, who was Oppel’s successor as a member of the academy. In her general outline, Hammerschmidt-Hummel provides the reader with her scholarly aims and methods, addressing not only the role of the author and editor in the development of the project, but also its inevitable limits. In her introduction she offers a comprehensive survey of the history and function of artists’ work to Shakespeare’s plays from 1594 to 2000. „Die Shakespeare-Illustration," one of the reviewers wrote, „is a great work and a rare achievement of intelligence and devotion to Shakespeare in the sculptured landscape garden of German academe. Each illustration selected by the author bears witness to an important and probably undying moment in Shakespeare’s plays. ... The author’s comments are always succinct, constructive and well-balanced.“ [
*K. Otten, On Die Shakespeare-Illustration (1594-2000) ..., Symbolism. A New International Annual of Critical Aesthetics VII (New York: AMS, 2005).]

Other studies

The New Imports of London and Their Impact on the Life-Style, Language, and Literature of Elizabethan England

The results of Hammerschmidt-Hummel’s investigations into the new imports of London in the late 16th and early 17th centuries and their impact on the life-style, language and literature of Elizabethan and Jacobean England are presented in her „stimulating, informative and fundamental work“, [
*D. Wuttke, Bibliographie zur Symbolik, Ikonographie und Mythologie 14 (1981), p. 55, no. 208.] "Die Importgüter der Handelsstadt London als Sprach- und Bildbereich des elisabethanischen Dramas". [
*Carl Winter Universitätsverlag, Heidelberg: 1979 (The Import Commodities of the City of London and their Impact on the Life-Style, Language, and Dramatic Literature of Elizabethan England). Reviews:
*D. Wuttke, Bibliographie zur Symbolik, Ikonographie und Mythologie 14 (1981), p. 55, no. 208;
*D. Wuttke, Internationales Archiv für Sozialgeschichte der deutschen Literatur 21.2 (1996), pp. 187-188;
*W. Speyer, Arcadia. Zeitschrift für Vergleichende Literaturwissenschaft (1980), pp. 331-332;
*M. Bechtle, „Neuland in der anglistischen Forschung“, Toronto Courier (11 September 1980).] Hammerschmidt-Hummel’s „new methodolical approach and its extraordinary and fruitful results“, a literary scholar and art expert wrote, „also affects North European art history and will be instrumental to overcome the splitting-up of the humanities and social sciences.“ [
*W. Speyer, Arcadia, pp. 331-332.] Hammerschmidt-Hummel’s central concern is the sudden availability of a great many exotic import commodities in London between 1550 and 1630 and the impact these made on the English life-style, language and dramatic literature of the period. Methodologically she attempts an inter-disciplinary approach, embracing economic and social history, linguistics, and literary criticism. In Part I Hammerschmidt-Hummel offers a close scrutiny of the unique role played by London as an important European trading centre and also examines the history of discovery, the establishment of trading companies, and the changes apparent in English life-styles in areas such as food and drink, costume, cosmetics, furniture, and the like. Extensive research material on the socio-economic and cultural background of the period is thus provided to illustrate how the sudden upsurge in English maritime activity and overseas trade led to an unprecedented exchange of commodities and to the influx into London of vast quantities of new consumer goods (luxury articles and foods, exotic plants, and even living creatures) which significantly altered English taste and habits. Hammerschmidt-Hummel shows that the names and denotations of the new luxury goods contained in the import commodities index furnishes evidence of an enlargement of vocabulary so extensive as to constitute part of the linguistic revolution of the time.

Part II is devoted to the impact which the denotations and connotations of exotic imports had on Elizabethan drama, including books of etiquette. In a transitional chapter which examines the Elizabethan tendency to think in terms of economics, the mutual influence of literature and contemporary history is discussed. Under „Drama and Society“ Hammerschmidt-Hummel sheds light on dominant themes, situations, and attitudes to life as reflected in Elizabethan and Jacobean drama, among them: the gentry question, the importance of social standing, the role of money, marriage, prevailing views on luxury, extravagance, on beauty, love and sexuality.

The list of quotations from Elizabethan and Jacobean plays presented in the second part of the study is organized under those headings already established in Part I, dealing with changes in English life-style. Luxury import commodities, for instance, not only have a demonstrable relevance to certain scenes, but also serve a variety of other functions. In the changing Elizabethan society with a rising merchant class, exotic new luxuries, moreover, function as objects of prestige and even as status symbols. In addition, they are employed as stage property, as items for sale and as gifts, and clearly play an important part in naming and characterization. Finally, such overseas commodities serve certain didactic purposes, being used as instruments of criticism and instruction. Hammerschmidt-Hummel discusses at length the astonishing role they played in Shakespeare’s imagery and investigates categories such as conventional imagery, punning, techniques of description and characterization, psychological motivation, evaluation and judgement, experience and introspection as well as symbolic sublimation. As a result, it is established that exotic imports had indeed an enormous impact on Shakespeare’s metaphors, and it is shown how this awareness offers fruitful new insights in some instances into our understanding of the plays.

In an appendix chapter, which includes eight illustrations, Hammerschmidt-Hummel extends the investigation to the field of painting. Just as there is evidence that the new import commodities made an immense literary impact quite apart from their use in real life, there is also proof that they asserted their dominance in Dutch still-life painting. Consequently, there is every reason to assume, as Hammerschmidt-Hummel suggested for the first time, that overseas luxury goods were largely responsible for the creation of this new genre.

Exhibitions

*„Shakespeare und seine Zeit“ mit 100 Exponaten. Ausstellung im Festspielhaus in Recklinghausen anläßlich der „Ruhrfestspiele 2006“ - vom 1. Mai bis zum 11. Juni 2006 [„Shakespeare and his time“, 100 exhibits, „Ruhr Festival 2006“, Festival Hall Recklinghausen, from 1 May to 11 June 2006] .

*„Illustrationen zu Shakespeares Sommernachtstraum“ mit 170 Exponaten. Ausstellung in der Technischen Universität Berlin anläßlich des Internationalen Shakespeare-Kongresses „Images of Shakespeare“ - vom 1. bis zum 4. April 1986. [„Illustrations to Shakespeare’s A Midsummer Night’s Dream“, 170 exhibits, International Shakespeare Congress, Technical University of Berlin, from 1 to 4 April 1986] .

*Ausstellung zur Erinnerung an Horst Oppel: „Illustrationen zu Shakespeares Sommernachtstraum“ mit 170 Exponaten. Marburger Schauspiel, Marburg, vom 19. April bis 13. Mai 1984 [Exhibition in memory of Horst Oppel: „Illustrations to Shakespeare’s A Midsummer Night’s Dream“, 170 exhibits, Marburger Schauspiel, Marburg, from 19 April to 13 May 1984] .

elect list of publications

Hammerschmidt-Hummel has published widely in scholarly periodicals and national newspapers and has written many books. Her publications include: [For a complete list see: www.hammerschmidt-hummel.de, ‘List of publications’.]

Books

*The Life and Times of William Shakespeare, 1564-1616. London: Chaucer Press, 2007, 195 illus. [Summary in: English and American Studies in German. Summaries of Theses and Monographs. A Supplement to Anglia, Tübingen, 2007] .

*The True Face of William Shakespeare: The Poet’s Death Mask and Likenesses from Three Periods of His Life. London: Chaucer Press, 2006, 116 illus. [Summary in: English and American Studies in German. Summaries of Theses and Monographs. A Supplement to Anglia, Tübingen, 2007] .

*Die authentischen Gesichtszüge William Shakespeares: Die Totenmaske des Dichters und Bildnisse aus drei Lebensabschnitten. Hildesheim: Georg Olms Verlag, 2006, 116 illus. [Published also as The True Face of William Shakespeare: The Poet’s Death Mask and Likenesses from Three Periods of His Life. London. Chaucer Press, 2006] .

*William Shakespeare. Seine Zeit - Sein Leben - Sein Werk. Mainz: Philipp von Zabern Verlag, 2003, c. 250 illus. [Published also as The Life and Times of William Shakespeare, 1564-1616 London. Chaucer Press, 2007] .

*Die Shakespeare-Illustration (1594-2000). Bildkünstlerische Darstellungen zu den Dramen William Shakespeares: Katalog, Geschichte, Funktion und Deutung. Mit Künstlerlexikon, klassifizierter Bibliographie und Registern (Shakespearian illustrations, 1594 to 2000: The work of artists on Shakespeare’s plays - Catalogue, history, function and interpretation, including a dictionary of artists, a classified bibliography and indexes) (Wiesbaden: Harrassowitz Verlag, 2003), 3 Vols., more than 3000 illus.

*Die verborgene Existenz des William Shakespeare: Dichter und Rebell im katholischen Untergrund. Freiburg im Breisgau: Verlag Herder, 2001, 16 illus. [The Hidden Life of William Shakespeare: Poet and Rebel in the Catholic Underground] .

*Das Geheimnis um Shakespeares ‘Dark Lady’: Dokumentation einer Enthüllung. Darmstadt: Wissenschaftliche Buchgesellschaft und Primus Verlag, 1999, 18 illus. [The Secret Surrounding Shakespeare’s Dark Lady: Uncovering a Mystery] .

*Die Traumtheorien des 20. Jahrhunderts und die Träume der Figuren Shakespeares. Mit einem Abriß philosophischer und literarischer Traumauffassungen von der Antike bis zur Gegenwart. Heidelberg: Carl Winter Universitätsverlag, 1992 [Summary: 20th-Century Dream Theories and the Dreams of Shakespeare’s Characters. With a Survey of Philosophical and Literary Dream Concepts from Ancient Times to the Present, in: English and American Studies in German. Summaries of Theses and Monographs. A Supplement to Anglia, Tübingen, 1993, pp. 68 - 70] .

*Die Shakespeare-Illustrationen des Frankfurter Malers Victor Müller im Städelschen Kunstinstitut: Unbekannte Zeichnungen und Entwürfe zu Shakespeares Dramen. Abhandlung der Akademie der Wissenschaften und der Literatur zu Mainz. Stuttgart: Steiner Verlag, 1990, 27 illus. [Shakespearian Illustrations by the Frankfurt painter Victor Müller in the Städelsches Kunstinstitut (Frankfurt): Unknown drawings and sketches to the Plays of Shakespeare] .

*Nineteenth-Century Germany. A Symposium. Ed. by Modris Eksteins and Hildegard Hammerschmidt. Tübingen: Gunter Narr Verlag, 1983, 7 illus.

*Die Importgüter der Handelsstadt London als Sprach- und Bildbereich des elisabethanischen Dramas. Heidelberg: Carl Winter Universitätsverlag, 1979, 9 illus. [Summary: The Import Commodities of the City of London and their Impact on the Life-Style, Language, and Dramatic Literature of Elizabethan England, in: English and American Studies in German. Summaries of Theses and Monographs. A Supplement to Anglia, Tübingen, 1981, pp. 36- 37] .

*Das historische Drama in England (1956-1971): Erscheinungsformen und Entwicklungstendenzen. Studien zur Anglistik. Wiesbaden / Frankfurt am Main: Humanitas Verlag, 1972. [Summary: The Historical Drama in England (1956-1971). Its Form and Developmental Tendencies, in: English and American Studies in German. Summaries of Theses and Monographs. A Supplement to Anglia, Tübingen, 1973, pp. 113 - 115] .

Articles

*„Wer war William Shakespeare?“ [Who was William Shakespeare?), Programmheft - Der Sturm. Ballett von Jörg Mannes in 2 Akten nach William Shakespeare. Bayerisches Staatsballett im Nationaltheater München (2007), pp. 28-37.

*„Shakespeare in der bildenden Kunst des 18. Jahrhunderts.“ Shakespeare im 18. Jahrhundert. Ed. Roger Paulin. Göttingen: Wallstein Verlag, 2007, pp. 65-90.

*„William Shakespeare (1564-1616): A Life and Literary Career in Troubled Times.“ Symbolism: An International Annual of Critical Aesthetics (2006), 6:255-305.

*„Katholische Minderheitenkultur in England im 16. und frühen 17. Jahrhundert mit besonderer Berücksichtigung von William Shakespeare (1564-1616).“ Religion und Kultur im Europa des 17. und 18. Jahrhunderts. Ed. Peter Claus Hartmann unter Mitarbeit von Annette Reese. Frankfurt am Main/Berlin/Bruxelles/New York/Wien: Peter Lang, 2004, pp. 73-108.

*„The Phoenix and the Turtle: Notate zur Entstehung des Werks und zur Entschlüsselung seiner Figuren als historische Persönlichkeiten.“ Anglistik. Mitteilungen des Deutschen Anglistenverbandes (2003), 14.2:71-84.

*„Goethe and Shakespeare. Goethe’s Visit at the Art Collection of Franz Ludwig von Kesselstatt in Mainz.“ Symbolism. An International Journal of Critical Aesthetics (2002), 2:3-16.

*„What did Shakespeare Look Like? Authentic Portraits and the Death Mask. Methods and Results of the Tests of Authenticity.“ Symbolism. An International Journal of Critical Aesthetics (2000), 1:41-79.

*„Herrscherbildnisse Karls I. von England von Anthonis van Dyck: Herrscherkritik, Demontage und politische Schmähung?“ Basileus und Tyrann: Herrscherbilder und Bilder von Herrschaft in der Englischen Renaissance. Hg. Uwe Baumann (Frankfurt am Main/Berlin/Bern/Bruxelles/New York/Wien, 1999), pp. 181 - 210, 7 illus. [Greatly enlarged version, based on additional facts, of the article in Anglistik, Sept. 1997] .

*„Hat Frans Hals Shakespeares 'Hamlet' illustriert?“ (Did Frans Hals illustrate Shakespeare's Hamlet?) Anglistik. Mitteilungen des Deutschen Anglistenverbandes (September 1999), pp. 97 - 118, 7 illus.

*„Das Shakespeare-Bild und Bilder Shakespeares am Ende des 20. Jahrhunderts,“ Anglistik. Mitteilungen des Deutschen Anglistenverbandes (March 1998), pp. 117 - 130, 3 illus..

*„Shakespeares Totenmaske und die Shakespeare-Bildnisse 'Chandos' und 'Flower'. Zusätzliche Echtheitsnachweise auf der Grundlage eines neuen Fundes,“ Anglistik. Mitteilungen des Deutschen Anglistenverbandes (March, 1998), pp. 101 - 115, 12 illus..

*„Herrscherbildnisse Karls I. von England von Anthonis van Dyck: Herrscherkritik, Demontage und politische Schmähung?“ Anglistik. Mitteilungen des Verbandes Deutscher Anglisten (September 1997), pp. 117 - 131, 6 illus..

*„Neuer Beweis für die Echtheit des Flower-Porträts und der Darmstädter Shakespeare-Totenmaske. Ein übereinstimmendes Krankheitssymptom im linken Stirnbereich von Gemälde und Gipsabguss“, Anglistik. Mitteilungen des Verbandes Deutscher Anglisten (September 1996), pp. 115 - 136, 7 illus..

*„Ist die Darmstädter Shakespeare-Totenmaske echt?“ Shakespeare Jahrbuch 132 (1996), pp. 58 - 74, 6 illus.. [leicht gekürzter Vortrag, gehalten auf der Pressekonferenz der Stadt Darmstadt am 22.06.1995]

*„Neue Erkenntnisse über die Physiognomie William Shakespeares“, Anglistik. Mitteilungen des Verbandes Deutscher Anglisten (March 1996), pp. 119 - 122, 3 illus..

*„Boydell's Shakespeare Gallery and its Role in Promoting English History Painting“, The Boydell Shakespeare Gallery. Ed. Walter Pape and Frederick Burwick in Collaboration with the German Shakespeare Society (Bottrop, 1996), pp. 33 - 44, 4 Illustrations.

*„The Painters of the Boydell Shakespeare Gallery“, The Boydell Shakespeare Gallery. Ed. Walter Pape and Frederick Burwick in Collaboration with the German Shakespeare Society (Bottrop, 1996), pp. 187 - 201.

*„Shakespeare und die Maler des 20. Jahrhunderts: Formen des Dialogs von Text und Bild anhand ausgewählter Beispiele“, Text und Bild im Dialog. Hg. Klaus Dirscherl (Passau, 1993), pp. 293 - 316, 5 illus..

*„Johann Heinrich Füsslis Illustrationen zu Shakespeares Macbeth unter besonderer Berücksichtigung seiner Kunsttheorie.“ Anglistentag 1984 Passau. Vorträge. Hg. Manfred Pfister (Giessen, 1985), pp. 261 - 277, 6 illus..

*„Johann Heinrich Füsslis Illustrationen zu Shakespeares 'Macbeth' unter besonderer Berücksichtigung seiner Kunsttheorie“, arcadia. Zeitschrift für Vergleichende Literaturwissenschaft (1985), pp. 225 - 238, 6 illus..

*„Images of Canada in Advertising“, Journal of Canadian Studies (Winter 1983/84), pp. 154 - 171.

*„Aspekte der Selbstdarstellung Kanadas. Beobachtungen zur Sprache und Motivik der kanadischen Werbung.“ Anglistentag 1981. Vorträge. Hg. J. Hasler. Trierer Studien zur Literatur 7 (Frankfurt a. M./Bern, 1983), pp. 281 - 300.

*„Nineteenth-Century Germany: Aspects of Contemporary Cultural Criticism“, in: Nineteenth-Century Germany. A Symposium. Eds. Modris Ekteins and Hildegard Hammerschmidt (Tübingen: Gunter Narr Verlag, 1983), x - xxii.

*„The role of the guardians in T. S. Eliot's Cocktail Party“, Modern Drama (1981), pp. 54 - 66.

*„Frühphasen der englischen Handels- und Kulturgeschichte der Neuzeit und ihre linguistischen, literarischen und bildkünstlerischen Implikationen“, Anglistentag 1980 Giessen. Tagungsbeiträge und Berichte im Auftrag des Vorstandes. Hg. Herbert Grabes (Grossen-Linden, 1981), pp. 397 - 417, 6 illus..

*„Die dramatische Funktion der communis opinio in Shakespeares Julius Caesar“, Anglia (1978), pp. 371 - 386.

*„Louis MacNeice, Persons from Porlock“, Englische Hörspiele. Hg. Horst Priessnitz (Düsseldorf, 1977), pp. 228 - 241.

*„John Arden und Margaretta D'Arcy, 'The Island of the Mighty'„, Das englische Drama der Gegenwart. Hg. Horst Oppel (Berlin, 1976), pp. 239 - 257.

List of TV programmes

*Markus Philipp im Gespräch mit Hildegard Hammerschmidt-Hummel und Kurt Otten, „Die Totenmaske eines Dichters - wer war William Shakespare wirklich?“, „Das Thema“, rheinmaintv (24 April 2006). [On the book Die authentischen Gesichtszüge William Shakespeares [The True Face of William Shakespeare] - Detailled presentation of the results of the investigations into the authenticity of the Darmstadt Shakespeare death mask, the Davenant bust and the ‘Chandos’ and ‘Flower’ portraits of Shakespeare] .

*Ivonne Büttner, „William Shakespeare. Buchvorstellung im Magistratssaal der Stadt Darmstadt am 22. Februar 2006“, Prometheus - Das Wissenschaftsfernsehen für Baden-Württemberg (23 February 2006) [On the presentation of the book Die authentischen Gesichtszüge William Shakespeares (The True Face of William Shakespeare) at a press conference at the City Hall of Darmstadt] .

*Mara Braun, ”Shakespeare-Forschung”, CAMPUS TV (University of Mainz) (January, 2003). [On the new evidence presented in The Life and Times of William Shakespeare, 1564-1616] .

*Henriette Seyfferth, ”LandesArt”, SWR (8 April 2001) [On Die verborgene Existenz des William Shakespeare (The hidden life of William Shakespeare)]

*Natalie Derbort, „Die verborgene Existenz des William Shakespeare“, ”Hessenschau”, HESSISCHER RUNDFUNK (25 March 2001) [On Die verborgene Existenz des William Shakespeare (The hidden life of William Shakespeare)]

*„Die verborgene Existenz des William Shakespeare“, “Kulturzeit”, 3SAT (21 March 2001).

*Nina Ruge, „Leute heute“, ZDF (23 September 1999). (On the results presented in the book Das Geheimnis um Shakespeare’s Dark Lady).

*Helmut Herkenroth, „Das Geheimnis um Shakespeare’s Dark Lady“, ”Hessenschau”, HESSISCHER RUNDFUNK (9 September 1999). [On the presentation of the book Das Geheimnis um Shakespeare’s Dark Lady at a press conference in the City Hall of Darmstadt -Introduction: Peter Benz, Mayor]

*Otto Wynen, „Über die Echtheitsnachweise für die Darmstädter Shakespeare-Totenmaske und die Shakespeare-Porträts ‘Chandos’ und ‘Flower’“, ”Boulevard Deutschland”, Deutsche Welle TV (23 April 1997).

*Denise Vance, „On the authenticity of the Darmstadt Shakespeare death mask and the Shakespeare portraits ‘Chandos’ und ‘Flower’“, Associated Press INTERNATIONAL (13 May 1996).

*Frank Partridge, ”Reuters Reports”, Sky News (09.05.1996) [Update on ”Reuters Reports”, 7 March 1996).

*Michael Wirbitzky, ”Mittwochsforum“ [Talkshow] , SÜDWEST 3 [SWR] (17 April 1996) (On the authenticity of the Darmstadt Shakespeare death mask and its history).

*Thomas Michel, ”Kultur Südwest”, SÜDWEST 3 [SWR] (11 April 1996). (On the authenticity of the Darmstadt Shakespeare death mask and the ‘Chandos’ and ‘Flower’ portraits of Shakespeare] .

*Christian Hoch, ”Die Sonde” [Scientific magazine] , SÜDWEST 3 [SWR] (17 March 1996) [Detailled presentation of the results of the investigations into the authenticity of the Darmstadt Shakespeare death mask and the ‘Chandos’ and ‘Flower’ portraits of Shakespeare] .

*Colleen Connaugton, ”Reuters Reports”, Sky News (7 March 1996) [Presentation of the results of the investigations into the authenticity of the Darmstadt Shakespeare death mask and the ‘Chandos’ and ‘Flower’ portraits of Shakespeare] .

*Andrew Thompson, ”Tomorrow’s World”, BBC (15 December 1995) [Detailled presentation of the results of the investigations into the authenticity of the Darmstadt Shakespeare death mask and the ‘Chandos’ and ‘Flower’ portraits of Shakespeare] .

*Franz Fitzke, ”Länder-Journal”, ZDF (6 December 1995) [Brief presentation of the results of the investigations into the authenticity of the Darmstadt Shakespeare death mask and the ‘Chandos’ and ‘Flower’ portraits of Shakespeare] .

elect list of interviews

*„Ten minutes with ... Hildegard Hammerschmidt-Hummel“, Family History Monthly 151 (Christmas 2007), p. 12.

*„Jüngste Erkenntnisse über das Flower-Porträt William Shakespeares“, „Kultur heute“, Deutschlandfunk Köln (28 October 2007) (Interviewer: Doris Schäfer-Noske).

*„Die authentischen Gesichtszüge William Shakespeares“, „Journal aus Rheinland-Pfalz“, SWR2
(Südwestrundfunk) (8 August 2006) (Interviewer: Marie-Christine Werner).

*„Was hat die moderne Radiologie mit dem Renaissance-Dichter William Shakespeare zu tun?“, „Doppelkopf“, HR2 (Hessischer Rundfunk) (28 April 2006). (Interviewer: Brigitta M. Mazanec).

*„Hildegard Hammerschmidt-Hummel - Interview“, „Today“, BBC RADIO 4 (23 February 2006) [http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/entertainment/4742716.stm] .

*„Kriminalbeamte und Wissenschaftler beweisen Authentizität einer Shakespeare-Büste. Gespräch mit der Shakespeare-Forscherin Hildegard Hammerschmidt-Hummel von der Johannes Gutenberg-Universität Mainz“, „Kulturradio am Vormittag - Wissen, RBB (18 October 2005) (Interviewer: Ev Schmidt).

*„Die Darmstädter Totenmasken“, „Mikado“, HR2 (22 November 2004) (Interviewer: Leonie Berger).
*„Queen Elizabeth in Deutschland“, „Der Tag“, HR2 (1 November 2004) (Interviewer: Andrea Gerk - „Zum Majestätsbegriff bei Shakespeare“ - „On Shakespeare’s concept of ‘majesty’“).

*„’Shakespeare und kein Ende’ - Hildegard Hammerschmidt-Hummels Shakespeare-Biographie und ihre Bücher zur Shakespeare-Illustration (1594-2000)“, „Literatur im Land“, SWR2 (23 August 2003) (Interviewer: Stefan Ringel).

*„’Die Religion ist der Schlüssel zu seinem Leben und Werk’. Wissenschaftlerin zu ihrer These vom Katholiken Shakespeare“, Katholische Nachrichtenagentur (KNA) 52. (1 July 2003) (Interviewer: Monika Lissok).

*„William Shakespeare - War er Katholik oder nicht?“, „Aktenzeichen“, Vatican Radio (21 July 2002) (Aldo Parmeggiani).

*„Zur Entschlüsselung von Shakespeares Klagegedicht ‘Phönix und Taube’“, SWR2 (22 May 2002) (Interviewer: Marie-Christine Werner).

*„Hofpoet oder Rebell - Wer war William Shakespeare? Neue Forschungen outen den Dramatiker als heimlichen Katholiken“, „Forum“ SWR2 (5 September 2001) (Moderator: Rochus Groß).

*„William Shakespeare. Dichter und Rebell aus dem katholischen Untergrund. Ein Gespräch mit Hildegard Hammerschmidt-Hummel“, Ibykus. Zeitschrift für Poesie, Wissenschaft und Staatskunst (4. Quartal 2001), pp. 44-51 (Interviewer: Muriel Mirak-Weissbach, Elisabeth Böttiger.

*„Die verborgene Existenz des William Shakespeare“, „Logo“, Norddeutscher Rundfunk (6 April 2001) (Interviewer: Jürgen Horsch).

*„Shakespeare - Die verborgene Existenz“, Dom Radio (Köln) (1 April 2001) (Interviewer: Stefan Quilitz).

Notes

External links

*PND|131898485
* http://www.hammerschmidt-hummel.de/