Macbeth and the Witches (from William Shakespeare's 'Macbeth') (unfinished)

Macbeth and the Witches from 1786 at a National Trust property shows Reynolds painting a Shakespearean subject. His history paintings, though less numerous than his portraits, demonstrate his ambition to work in the highest artistic genres. Reynolds built his portraits using multiple glazed layers over a warm imprimatura, blending Rembrandt's tonal depth with Van Dyck's aristocratic elegance—though his experimental use of bitumen and carmine often caused irreversible darkening.

The dramatic scene captures the supernatural encounter with theatrical lighting. Reynolds's handling creates a scene of Romantic Shakespearean drama.