The Oldest Angel Artist Proof
$2,650.00
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Editorial View
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A bright, theatrical bustle greets you the moment your eye lands on this scene — a gathered company of richly costumed figures caught between rehearsal and performance beneath the Old Globe’s timbered façade. There’s delight in the details: lovers frozen in a private exchange, a handful of characters adjusting costume and wig, and a beaming figure on the balcony who reads as both conductor and showman. The palette is warm and varied, with jewel tones and golds that give the crowd a celebratory, pageant-like glow while the architectural framing lends a reassuring order to the activity. What makes the work feel alive is its layered storytelling. Small gestures — a turned head, an outstretched hand, the careful fixing of a bodice — create intimate moments within the larger spectacle, so you discover new interactions each time you look. The composition balances crowded foreground action with the airy depth of the stage above, suggesting both the camaraderie and the artifice of theater. For anyone who loves narrative and costume, this print offers a playful, affectionate tribute to Shakespeare’s world that feels both learned and warmly human.
The Artwork
About All The World's A Stage Artist Proof
ALL THE WORLD'S A STAGE, LIMITED EDITION PRINT
Kings, queens, knaves and clowns... your favorite Shakespearean
characters come to life!
The Bard and more than 50 of his dramatis personae take a bow in this
remarkable tribute to Shakespeare's entire canon 38 plays, including the
obscure Two Noble Kinsmen. With the Old Globe Theatre as backdrop, James
assembles an eclectic cast of fictional characters and actors in rehearsal
mingling with a few thespians who never tread the boards (but might have
flittered above them). You'll find Romeo proffering a rose to Juliet, who
rebuffs the salacious overtures of Henry VIII. Viola of Twelfth Night is in the act of binding her breasts to fill the manly role of Cesario, while beside her other Shakespearean heroines don male apparel to play their virile counterparts all the more interesting when you consider that in Shakespeare's day men played all the female roles. Caesar is a self-portrait"an opportunity for the artist to make a statement about backstabbing (he doesn't like it!) and revel in applause (notice Titus Andronicus giving him a warm hand). All humor aside . . . James" prodigious knowledge of Shakespeare manifests in a work offering multiple layers of meaning and countless discoveries. All the World'`s a Stage was commissioned by the Utah Shakespearean Festival winner of this year's Tony Award for Outstanding Regional Theatre in celebration of its 40th anniversary.
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About the Collection
James Christensen (1942–2017) was a visionary fantasy artist known for his whimsical paintings that blend mythological storytelling with magical realism. His work, inspired by Renaissance art and surrealism, features imaginative characters, intricate details, and symbolic elements such as floating fish, which represent wisdom and wonder. Christensen’s unique artistic voice brought to life fairy tales, fables, and medieval-inspired dreamscapes, making his fine art prints and collectible fantasy artwork highly sought after. His ability to transform the ordinary into the extraordinary continues to captivate art collectors and dreamers alike.
Artist Signature
Signed by the artist
This piece is artist signed and includes a Certificate of Authenticity.
Image Rights
Image copyright © 2026 by James Christensen.
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Authenticity & Documentation
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Limited-edition artwork includes a Certificate of Authenticity when one is issued by the artist, publisher, studio, or authorized source. Open-edition pieces may not include a certificate; this does not affect their authenticity. The Collection Shop sources artwork through artists, publishers, authorized distributors, galleries, and other approved channels. Any additional documentation included with this specific piece will be noted above.
It is with deep regret and profound sadness that The Collection Shop announces the passing of artist James C. Christensen on Sunday, January 8, 2017.
Inspired by the world's myths, fables and tales of imagination, James C. Christensen wants his work to add up to more than a beautiful - if sometimes "curious" looking work of art. Having taught art professionally for over 20 years, he likes to think of the world as his classroom. His hope is that through whatever he creates-be it a porcelain, fine art print or book-he can convey a message, inspiration or a simple laugh. He believes that teaching people to use their imagination helps us find solutions to sooth the stresses of everyday life-or get a little lift to help us keep going. In short: all things are possible when you share Christensen's philosophy that "Believing is Seeing." Christensen was born in 1942 and raised in Culver City, California. He studied painting at Brigham Young University and, for a while, the University of California at Los Angeles before finishing his formal education at BYU. Since then, he has had one-man shows in the West and the Northeast and his work is prized in collections throughout the U.S. and Europe. Christensen has also won all the professional art honors the World Science Fiction and Fantasy Convention can bestow, as well as multiple Chesley Awards from the Association of Science Fiction and Fantasy Artists. Christensen has been designated as a "Utah Art Treasure," one of Utah s Top 100 Artists by the Springville Museum of Art and received the Governor s Award for Art awarded by the Utah Arts Council recognizing the significance of Christensen s artwork to Utah s cultural communities. He was inducted into the U.S. Art magazine s Hall of Fame and is an Honored Alumnus at Brigham Young University for his contributions to fine art and education. James and his wife Carole, co-chair the Mormon Arts Foundation. He is a frequent guest lecturer at Brigham Young University, and has also given workshops to large companies and organizations on the subject of creative thinking, including the California Art Educator s Association, Hallmark and Intermountain Health Care. In addition to his fine art limited editions on paper and canvas, Christensen s work can be found in five acclaimed books and a series of interactive journals and in three dimensions in porcelain and hand-crafted limited-edition bronze sculptures
Inspired by the world's myths, fables and tales of imagination, James C. Christensen wants his work to add up to more than a beautiful - if sometimes "curious" looking work of art. Having taught art professionally for over 20 years, he likes to think of the world as his classroom. His hope is that through whatever he creates-be it a porcelain, fine art print or book-he can convey a message, inspiration or a simple laugh. He believes that teaching people to use their imagination helps us find solutions to sooth the stresses of everyday life-or get a little lift to help us keep going. In short: all things are possible when you share Christensen's philosophy that "Believing is Seeing." Christensen was born in 1942 and raised in Culver City, California. He studied painting at Brigham Young University and, for a while, the University of California at Los Angeles before finishing his formal education at BYU. Since then, he has had one-man shows in the West and the Northeast and his work is prized in collections throughout the U.S. and Europe. Christensen has also won all the professional art honors the World Science Fiction and Fantasy Convention can bestow, as well as multiple Chesley Awards from the Association of Science Fiction and Fantasy Artists. Christensen has been designated as a "Utah Art Treasure," one of Utah s Top 100 Artists by the Springville Museum of Art and received the Governor s Award for Art awarded by the Utah Arts Council recognizing the significance of Christensen s artwork to Utah s cultural communities. He was inducted into the U.S. Art magazine s Hall of Fame and is an Honored Alumnus at Brigham Young University for his contributions to fine art and education. James and his wife Carole, co-chair the Mormon Arts Foundation. He is a frequent guest lecturer at Brigham Young University, and has also given workshops to large companies and organizations on the subject of creative thinking, including the California Art Educator s Association, Hallmark and Intermountain Health Care. In addition to his fine art limited editions on paper and canvas, Christensen s work can be found in five acclaimed books and a series of interactive journals and in three dimensions in porcelain and hand-crafted limited-edition bronze sculptures
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