18th Century / 19th Century Painted 'Shakespearean' Screen - Italy

Rare and beautiful oil on canvas hand-painted screen from late 18th Century / early 19th century Italy and depicting various celebrated Shakespearean theatrical characters. The 5 panels of the screen are set on individual wooden frames and are joined with hinges. The vertical sides of the frames extend beneath the bottom edges of the canvas creating 'feet' for the screen (see main photo). The characters depicted are almost certainly inspired by the Italian operatic or theatrical version of Shakespeare's 'The Merchant of Venice'. ('Shakespeare in Italy' was a recent BBC series outlining the years Shakespeare possibly lived there and Italians' long time love affair with the 'Bard'). Made in Italy probably in the kingdom of Naples and Sicily before the Risorgimento circa 1780-1860. Folded measurement of 5 panel screen is 77 inches high x 19" wide (198cm x 49cm). Thus total length is 95 inches (242cm). In good condition the screen also lends itself to being hung as a giant painting.