The plays of William Shakespeare (English, 15641616) have inspired artists for hundreds of years. The compelling characters and complex plots of his comedies, tragedies, and histories are as relevant to his descendants as they were to the audiences of the Globe Theatre and the royal courts of Elizabeth I and James I. Many details of Shakespeares life seem as though they were plucked out of one of his plays, from conspiracy theories about the real authorship of Shakespeares works to plagues and wars. Each month of this calendar presents trivia about Shakespeares life and times coupled with twelve opulent canvases that capture the drama of the Bards storytelling.