In 2012, Igor Shulman created a series of figurative paintings inspired by the sonnets of William Shakespeare. These works bring together the human figure, expressive colour and lines of poetry, placing the language of literature directly onto the painted surface.
The handwritten text is more than a decorative element. It forms part of each composition, crossing faces and surrounding figures while introducing another layer of meaning. The relationship between image and text invites the viewer to look beyond the visible gesture and consider the emotions, tensions and contradictions contained within Shakespeare’s words.
Shulman’s paintings combine carefully observed anatomy with loose, expressive brushwork and a distinctive use of light and shadow. The figures emerge from dark, atmospheric backgrounds, while fragments of verse become interwoven with their features. The result is a meeting of two forms of expression: poetry written in words and poetry conveyed through the human body.
The series explores intimacy, beauty, desire, separation and the complexity of human relationships. Rather than illustrating Shakespeare’s poems literally, the paintings offer a visual response to their language and emotional depth.
The Collection
This archive brings together ten paintings from the series, including works documented through photographs and materials associated with the artist. Each composition has its own visual character, while the recurring combination of portraiture, handwritten verse and expressive paint connects the works as a group.
One painting from the series is currently available for acquisition from a private collection. The remaining works are presented for documentation and study, offering a broader view of Shulman’s interpretation of Shakespeare’s poetry.
Artwork availability
One original painting Sonnet #15IN STOCK is currently offered by its private owner. Enquiries about the available work, condition and shipping are welcome.
ℹ
Subject: People and Portraits, Men, Women
Style: Expressive and Gestural
Medium: Oil on Canvas
Themes: Two Figures, Male Nude, Female Nude, Human Form, Figure Study, Intimacy, Contemplation, Human Relationships, Shared Presence, Abstract Background, Script, Dark Background, Warm Earth Tones, Chiaroscuro, Expressive Brushwork, Figurative Expressionism, Painterly Surface, Contemporary Figurative Art, Nude Composition, Private Collection
Year: 2012
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Sonnet #15
35.43 H x 47.24 W x 1.97″ x / 90 H x 120 W x 5 cm
Sonnet #15, 2012 is an original oil painting by Igor Shulman measuring 90 × 120 cm. The composition brings together two nude figures within a dark, atmospheric pictorial space. On the left, a female figure is shown from behind, her upright body defined by warm light and darker passages of paint. On the right, a seated male figure draws his knees toward his chest and turns his head toward the woman. The two figures occupy separate areas of the composition while remaining closely connected through their placement and direction of the gaze.
The background is reduced to an abstract arrangement of earthy browns, muted blues, violet tones and darker geometric passages. Lines and fragments resembling handwritten or printed script appear across parts of the surface, adding another visual layer without establishing a literal setting. Light falls strongly across the bodies, creating pronounced contrasts between illuminated skin and surrounding shadow. Warm ochre, copper and brown tones give the figures a substantial, sculptural presence.
Shulman combines figurative realism with a more freely handled background. Visible brushwork, layered colour and variations in paint density remain evident across the surface, while changes in tone and light are used to model the human bodies. The contrast between carefully observed anatomy and the less defined surrounding space gives the composition an expressive, painterly character.
The painting has a quiet, intimate atmosphere, with the arrangement of the figures suggesting a moment of shared presence and observation. Rather than providing a specific narrative, Sonets leaves the relationship between the two figures open to interpretation. It reflects Shulman’s interest in the human form, interpersonal connection and the expressive possibilities of contemporary figurative painting.
ℹ
Subject: People and Portraits, Women
Style: Expressive and Gestural, Realism
Medium: Oil on Canvas
Themes: Portrait, Female Face, Shakespeare, Sonnet 25, Handwritten Text, Script, Literary Painting, Close-Up Portrait, Direct Gaze, Dark Background, Warm Skin Tones, Chiaroscuro, Expressive Brushwork, Contemporary Figurative Art, Shakespeare's Sonnets Series
Year: 2012
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Sonnet #25
39.37 H x 39.37 W x 1.97″ x / 100 H x 100 W x 5 cm
Sonnet #25 belongs to Igor Shulman's Shakespeare's Sonnets series, created in 2012. In this body of work, the artist placed handwritten lines of Shakespeare's poetry directly onto the painted surface, allowing the text to cross faces, hair and background as part of the composition rather than functioning as a separate caption.
The painting shows a close-up portrait of a woman, her face filling most of the square canvas. Her gaze meets the viewer directly, with warm skin tones and strong contrasts of light and shadow defining her features. Dark hair falls loosely around her face, and the background is built from broad passages of muted violet, brown and near-black tones. The composition is tightly cropped, giving the portrait an immediate, frontal presence.
Across the upper part of the canvas, handwritten lines from Shakespeare's Sonnet 25 run from left to right, crossing the woman's forehead, hair and cheek.
The text reads:
"Let those who are in favor with their stars
Of public honour and proud titles boast,
Whilst I, whom fortune of such triumph bars,
Unlooked for joy in that I honour most."
The script becomes part of the painted surface, at times obscured by hair and shadow, at times clearly legible.
In the lower right corner, a stenciled marking in white paint reads "ARTICLE 2012-1028 / NETTO 1.03648 kg / BRUTTO 2.000 / SIZE 100×100×2" — a reference to the practical labelling of the canvas, integrated into the composition as another layer of text.
Shulman combines careful modelling of the face with looser, more expressive handling of the surrounding areas. Visible brushwork remains across the surface, and the balance between the painted portrait and the written word gives the work its layered character.
39.37 H x 39.37 W x 1.97″ x / 100 H x 100 W x 5 cm
Sonnet #54 belongs to Igor Shulman's Shakespeare's Sonnets series, created in 2012. In this body of work, the artist placed handwritten lines of Shakespeare's poetry directly onto the painted surface, integrating text and image into a single composition.
The painting shows a close-up portrait of a woman, her head tilted slightly and turned to the side. Her gaze is directed away from the viewer, giving the portrait a contemplative, distant mood. Warm skin tones are modelled with strong contrasts of light and shadow, while dark hair is pulled back, revealing the line of her neck and a pale earring. The background is a muted, textured blend of grey, violet and brown, kept deliberately vague.
Across the right side of the canvas, handwritten lines from Shakespeare's Sonnet 54 run vertically from top to bottom:
"O, how much more doth beauty beauteous seem
By that sweet ornament which truth doth give!
The rose looks fair, but fairer we deem
For that sweet odour which doth in it live."
The script is clearly legible in parts, fading into the painted surface in others.
In the lower left corner, a stenciled marking in white paint reads "ARTICLE 2012-1024 / NETTO 1.03648 kg / BRUTTO 2.000 / SIZE 100×100×2" — a practical label that becomes another layer of text within the painting.
Shulman combines careful observation of the face with looser, expressive handling of the surrounding areas. Visible brushwork and subtle variations in paint density remain across the surface, giving the work a painterly, immediate quality.
39.37 H x 39.37 W x 1.97″ x / 100 H x 100 W x 5 cm
Sonnet #28 belongs to Igor Shulman's Shakespeare's Sonnets series, created in 2012. In this body of work, the artist placed handwritten lines of Shakespeare's poetry directly onto the painted surface, integrating text and image into a single composition.
The painting shows a close-up profile of a woman facing left, her eyes closed and her head tilted slightly upward. The pose suggests a moment of rest, introspection or quiet exhaustion. Her skin is pale and softly modelled, with warm undertones, while dark hair is pulled back from her face, revealing the line of her jaw, neck and a small round earring.
Across the upper part of the canvas, handwritten lines from Shakespeare's Sonnet 28 run from left to right:
"How can I then return in happy plight
That am debarred the benefit of rest?
When day's oppression is not eased by night,
But day by night and night by day oppressed"
The script is clearly legible in places and fades into the painted background in others, becoming part of the surface rather than a separate caption.
In the lower right corner, a stenciled marking in white paint reads :
"ARTICLE 2012-1028
NETTO 1.03648 kg
BRUTTO 2.000
SIZE 100×100×2"
— a practical label that becomes another layer of text within the painting.
The background is built from broad, muted passages of grey, lavender and brown, with loose brushwork that contrasts with the more carefully modelled face. Shulman combines observation of the figure with an expressive, painterly treatment of the surrounding space.
39.37 H x 39.37 W x 1.97″ x / 100 H x 100 W x 5 cm
Sonnet #36 belongs to Igor Shulman's Shakespeare's Sonnets series, created in 2012. In this body of work, the artist placed handwritten lines of Shakespeare's poetry directly onto the painted surface, integrating text and image into a single composition.
The painting shows a close-up portrait of a woman looking back over her shoulder. Her dark hair falls loosely across her face, partially obscuring one eye, while her gaze meets the viewer directly. The pose is intimate and slightly guarded, with the turn of her head creating a strong diagonal across the square canvas. Warm skin tones are modelled with pronounced contrasts of light and shadow, particularly along the cheekbone, nose and jaw.
Across the upper left portion of the canvas, handwritten lines from Shakespeare's Sonnet 36 run in flowing script: "Let me confess that we two must be twain, / Although our undivided loves are one: / So shall those blots that do with me remain, / Without thy help, by me be borne alone." The text is clearly legible in places and fades into the hair and background in others, becoming part of the painted surface.
The background is built from muted, textured passages of pale grey, blue and warm brown, with loose brushwork that contrasts with the more carefully observed face. The overall palette is restrained, allowing the figure and the handwritten verse to remain the focus of the composition.
List of Art Collections
Here you’ll find a variety of Igor Shulman’s art collections, each one showing a different side of his work. From chandeliers and dresses to still lifes and portraits, every collection has its own mood and story. Take a look and see which one catches your eye — these pieces capture moments and feelings in a way that’s both honest and personal.
