A scene from the Beggar’s Opera as performed and perhaps witnessed by Hogarth. The scene (Act III, Scene II) is the last. Set in Newgate prison. At center stage, is the highwayman Macheath, chained (played by Thomas Walker) wearing red. Two women who believe they are married to him plead for his life as he is sentenced to the gallows. To his left, Lucy Lockit with her back to the audience (played by Mrs. Egleton) is dressed in blue. She pleads with her father the prison warden (John Hall). On his right Polly Peachum (played by Lavinia Fenton) dressed in white with a pink sash, pleads with her father, a dishonest lawyer and informant (played by John Hippisley). The actors are flanked by an audience members privileged to sit in boxes on the stage. Among these is John Rich the impresario of the play. Cf. Einberg
Alternative Title:
Horace Walpole’s Copy of A Beggar’s Opera
Description:
Title from 2005 Christie's appraisal., Artist unidentified., Formerly attributed to William Hogarth. See R. Paulson, Hogarth: his life, art and times, pp. 26-7, pl. 45., In a contemporary gilt Rococo frame., Label on verso in Horace Walpole's with a note in his hand: "Sketch of the Beggar’s opera as first performed: Macheath, in red, by Walker. Polly kneeling, in white, by Miss Fenton, afterwards Duches of Bolton: Lucy in green, her face turned away, by Mrs. Eggleton; Peacham, in black by Hippisley; Lockit, by Hall. Amongst the audience, on the left hand, Sir Thomas Robinson of Rokeby, a tall gentleman with a long lean face; on the right, Sir Robert Faggs, profile, a fat man with short grey hair, much known at Newmarket. Painted by Hogarth. H.W.", Text from the 1842 Catalogue of the classic contents of Strawberry Hill collected by Horace Walpole: The original sketch of The Beggar's Opera, representing Walker as Macheath; Miss Fenton, afterwards Duchess of Bolton, as Polly, Hippisley, as Peach'em; Hall as Lockit; on one side in a box are Sir Thomas Robinson, very tall and lean, and Sir Robert Flagg, a famous Horse racer, fat, with short grey hair, by Hogarth. This highly interesting and curious picture was purchased at the sale of John Rich, the celebrated Harlequin and Master of the Theatres in Lincoln's-Inn-Fields and Covent Garden, for whom the picture was painted - it is in its pure and genuine state, and presents one of the most remarkable efforts of this original master., Text from the 1774 edition of Horace Walpole's Description of the villa of Mr. Horace Walpole, at Strawberry Hill: The original sketch of the Beggar's Opera: Walker as Macheath; miss Fenton, afterwards duchess of Bolton, as Polly; Hippisley, as Peach'em; Hall as Lockit: on one side in a box, sir Thomas Robinson, very tall and lean; sir Robert Fagg, a famous horse-racer, fat, with short grey hair: by Hogarth. Bought at the sale of John Rich, the well known harlequin, and master of the theatres in Lincoln's-inn-fields and Covent-garden, for whom the picture was painted. Formerly hung in the Great North Bedchamber, Strawberry Hill., and Title devised by curator.
A mock playing card folded lengthwise in center to create four 'pages.' The title, quotation from The Beggar's opera and imprint create the first external page; opposite is an ace of spades creating the fourth, also external page when the sheet is folded. On the second 'page' inside is an image, opposite sixteen lines of verse on the third 'page.' The image shows a fashionably dressed lady in an elegant large room. She is handing a card, ace of spades, to a dwarfish man, probably a servant who is holding a jockey hat in his left hand. The verse begins as follows: Lady Dorothy Drum sends her compliments to Sr. Francis, my lady, and both the Miss D---nts ...
Description:
Title from cover., Published by George Bickham the younger (1704-1771)?, Two lines of quotation below title: With how d'ye do, and how d'ye do, and how d'ye do again. Beg. Op. [i.e., Beggar's Opera]., and Not in the Catalogue of prints and drawings in the British Museum. Division I, political and personal satires.
A mock playing card folded lengthwise in center to create four 'pages.' The title, quotation from The Beggar's opera and imprint create the first external page; opposite is an ace of spades creating the fourth, also external page when the sheet is folded. On the second 'page' inside is an image, opposite sixteen lines of verse on the third 'page.' The image shows a fashionably dressed lady in an elegant large room. She is handing a card, ace of spades, to a dwarfish man, probably a servant who is holding a jockey hat in his left hand. The verse begins as follows: Lady Dorothy Drum sends her compliments to Sr. Francis, my lady, and both the Miss D---nts ...
Description:
Title from cover., Published by George Bickham the younger (1704-1771)?, Two lines of quotation below title: With how d'ye do, and how d'ye do, and how d'ye do again. Beg. Op. [i.e., Beggar's Opera]., and Not in the Catalogue of prints and drawings in the British Museum. Division I, political and personal satires.
A mock playing card folded lengthwise in center to create four 'pages.' The title, quotation from The Beggar's opera and imprint create the first external page; opposite is an ace of spades creating the fourth, also external page when the sheet is folded. On the second 'page' inside is an image, opposite sixteen lines of verse on the third 'page.' The image shows a fashionably dressed lady in an elegant large room. She is handing a card, ace of spades, to a dwarfish man, probably a servant who is holding a jockey hat in his left hand. The verse begins as follows: Lady Dorothy Drum sends her compliments to Sr. Francis, my lady, and both the Miss D---nts ...
Description:
Title from cover., Published by George Bickham the younger (1704-1771)?, Two lines of quotation below title: With how d'ye do, and how d'ye do, and how d'ye do again. Beg. Op. [i.e., Beggar's Opera]., and Not in the Catalogue of prints and drawings in the British Museum. Division I, political and personal satires.
Each card shows music and lyrics from John Gay's Beggar's opera and a small standard playing card inset in the upper left corner; red suits with stencil colored pips; no tax stamp; maker's details on king of clubs, 10 of spades and ace of hearts
Description:
Title devised by cataloger., French suit system., Composition of deck: 52 (A, K, Q, J, 10-2)., and All cards mounted with photo corners onto 3 display boards, encapsulated in clear plastic, each board 40 x 54.5 cm; together with a folder of notes (printed and handwritten) mostly regarding the Beggar's Opera on which the cards are based, including manuscript notes prepared (presumably by Dudley Ollis) for a talk on this theme. For further information, consult library staff.
Publisher:
Printed for Carington Bowles, No. 69 in St. Pauls Church Yard, London
Bretherton, James, approximately 1730-1806, printmaker
Published / Created:
[28 December 1780]
Call Number:
Folio 49 3563 v.1 (Oversize)
Collection Title:
Volume 1, page 25. Etchings by Henry William Bunbury, Esq. and after his designs.
Image Count:
1
Resource Type:
still image
Abstract:
"A woman sitting beside a spinning wheel in a field, pinning a corsage of flowers at her breast, a dog curled up asleep at her feet, behind at right two figures, one on horseback, travel along a path towards a tower in the distance; circular design after Henry William Bunbury."--British Museum online catalogue
Description:
Title from lettered state., Artist and printmaker from statements of responsibility added in ink below image: Mr. Bunbury del. ; Js. Bretherton fec., State before letters. For a lettered state bearing title, artist and printmaker names, one line of verse below title, and the publication line "Publish'd 1 March 1781 by I. Bretherton, New Bond Street", see Lewis Walpole Library call no.: Bunbury 781.03.01.02+., Date of publication from imprint statement added in ink in lower left corner: Publishd. 28 Decbr. 1780., Sheet trimmed to plate mark., Illustration to John Gay's poem 'The shepherd's week'., and Mounted on page 25 in volume 1 of: Etchings by Henry William Bunbury, Esq. and after his designs.
Bretherton, James, approximately 1730-1806, printmaker
Published / Created:
[28 December 1780]
Call Number:
Folio 49 3563 v.1 (Oversize)
Collection Title:
Volume 1, page 22. Etchings by Henry William Bunbury, Esq. and after his designs. Page 27. Bunbury
Image Count:
1
Resource Type:
still image
Abstract:
"A woman sitting in a boat, waving as her dog looks longingly towards the right, land and ships on the sea behind; circular design after Henry William Bunbury."--British Museum online catalogue
Description:
Title from that of a later copy, published 1 November 1792 by W. Dickinson. Cf. British Museum online catalogue, registration no.: 1906,0419.120., Artist and printmaker from statements of responsibility added in ink below image: Mr. Bunbury del. ; Js. Bretherton fec., Date of publication from imprint statement added in ink in lower left corner: Publishd. 28 Decbr. 1780., Sheet trimmed to plate mark., Illustration to John Gay's poem 'Sweet William's farewell to black-ey'd Susan'., and Mounted on page 22 in volume 1 of: Etchings by Henry William Bunbury, Esq. and after his designs.
Bretherton, James, approximately 1730-1806, printmaker
Published / Created:
[28 December 1780]
Call Number:
Folio 75 B87 770 (Oversize)
Collection Title:
Volume 1, page 22. Etchings by Henry William Bunbury, Esq. and after his designs. Page 27. Bunbury
Image Count:
1
Resource Type:
still image
Abstract:
"A woman sitting in a boat, waving as her dog looks longingly towards the right, land and ships on the sea behind; circular design after Henry William Bunbury."--British Museum online catalogue
Description:
Title from that of a later copy, published 1 November 1792 by W. Dickinson. Cf. British Museum online catalogue, registration no.: 1906,0419.120., Artist and printmaker from statements of responsibility added in ink below image: Mr. Bunbury del. ; Js. Bretherton fec., Date of publication from imprint statement added in ink in lower left corner: Publishd. 28 Decbr. 1780., Sheet trimmed to plate mark., Illustration to John Gay's poem 'Sweet William's farewell to black-ey'd Susan'., Mounted on page 27 of: Bunbury album., 1 print : etching on laid paper, hand-colored ; circular image 31.1 cm, on sheet 31.5 x 31.2 cm., and Sheet trimmed within plate mark.
Bretherton, James, approximately 1730-1806, printmaker
Published / Created:
[1 March 1781]
Call Number:
Bunbury 781.03.01.02+
Image Count:
1
Resource Type:
still image
Abstract:
A young woman is sitting at a spinning wheel, her staff and hat on the ground in front of her and a dog asleep beside her. She is putting on a bunch of flowers. In the distance is a man on horseback, a tower, and a hill
Description:
Title from caption below image., Text below title: The peerless maid that did all maids excel. Gay., Illustration for John Gay's poem 'The shepherd's week'., Temporary local subject terms: Literature: Quotation from The shepherd's week, by John Gay, 1685-1732., and Later printing. Date of printing based on watermark: J. Ruse 1799.
Publisher:
Publish'd 1 March 1781 by I. Bretherton, New Bond Street
"A maid in simple dress sitting in profile to right on a rock in a hilly landscape, holding the handle of a bucket on the ground beside her, a figure on horseback on a path about to crest the hill in the distance at right; circular design after Henry William Bunbury."--British Museum online catalogue
Description:
Title from later state., Initial letters form a monogram in both artist's name and printmaker's name in signatures., "First state with scratched letters"--British Museum online catalogue, registration no.: 1906,0419.121., For a later state, published 20 May 1781 by J. Baldrey and sold by E. Hedges, see British Museum online catalogue, registration no.: 1917,1208.3004., Sheet trimmed within plate mark., Companion print to: Cicely., and Mounted on page 31 of: Bunbury album.
