The profile of an actor in the role of a Spanish nobleman bears a strong resemblance to that of David Garrick, in costume on stage looking left, arm raised in a dramatic gesture. Garrick's rule over the English stage was absolute for over thirty years. He went to London with Dr. Johnson in 1737, and by 1741 had progressed to his famous portrayal of Richard III, which made his reputation. Garrick was accomplished in seventeen Shakespearian roles and was also a gifted playwright and producer
Alternative Title:
Shadow box framed depiction David Garrick on stage
Description:
One of a pair of shadowboxes. The other box was titled in the 2005 Christie's appraisal: A shadowbox framed depiction of two actors in performance. and Provenance from a label affixed to the top of one of a pair of boxes, in Mrs. Lewis hand.
The dancer wearing a Roman toga is perhaps David Garrick, with Mrs. Siddons accompanying him on the lute. In his imaginary journey through time, Three tours through London in the years 1748, 1776, 1797 (New Haven, 1941), Wilmarth S. Lewis 'goes' to the London theatre of 1776 where "Garrick still requires that those playing a scene with him shall turn their backs to the audience when addresssing him so that there will be no question whatever of its attention being diverted from him. Failure to observe this rule ... caused young Mrs. Siddons to fall into disfavour and contributed to her dismissal from the company."
Alternative Title:
Shadow box framed depiction two actors in performance
Description:
One of a pair of shadowboxes. The other box is titled: A shadowbox framed depiction David Garrick on stage. and Provenance from a label affixed to the top of one of a pair of boxes, in Mrs. Lewis hand.
Subject (Name):
Garrick, David, 1717-1779. and Siddons, Sarah, 1755-1831.
Volume 1, opposite page 102. Memoirs of the life of the Right Honourable Richard Brinsley Sheridan.
Image Count:
1
Resource Type:
still image
Description:
Collective title devised by cataloger., Each drawing has the title of Sheridan's play "The Rivals" written in ink above, as well as the depicted actor's name, the name of the character portrayed, the theater name, and the performance date written in ink below., Statement of responsibility "by W. Loftie" added in pencil for each drawing, in lower right corner of sheet., Date from partially trimmed watermark on sheet of upper right drawing: 1794 [J. W]hatman., and Mounted together opposite page 102 (leaf numbered '154' in pencil) in volume 1 of an extra-illustrated copy of Thomas Moore's Memoirs of the life of the Right Honourable Richard Brinsley Sheridan.
Subject (Name):
Sheridan, Richard Brinsley, 1751-1816., Dodd, James William, 1740?-1796, Farren, Elizabeth, 1762-1829, Kemble, John Philip, 1757-1823, and Johnstone, John Henry, 1749-1828
Title, artist, and date of publication from original oil painting in Victoria and Albert Museum, museum no.: DYCE.80. and Sheet trimmed close to plate mark.
Publisher:
publisher not identified
Subject (Geographic):
British.
Subject (Name):
Liston, John, 1776-1846, and Shakespeare, William, 1564-1616.
"Portrait, half-length seated directed slightly to left,looking away, right arm thrown out, left hand at his lapel, the elbow porpped on a table beside a volume labelled 'Shakspeare', wearing a double-breasted coat with a high collar and a frilled white cravat; before letters or border."--British Museum online catalogue
Description:
Title from lettered state., Artist and printmaker from statements of responsibility on lettered state: M.A. Shee R.A. pinxt. ; W. Sharp sculpt., First state according to Baker, before letters or border., and For a lettered state with the imprint "London, Published by W. Sharp, April 7, 1803," see British Museum online catalogue, registration no.: 1841,0809.180.
"Portrait, half-length seated directed slightly to left,looking away, right arm thrown out, left hand at his lapel, the elbow porpped on a table beside a volume labelled 'Shakspeare', wearing a double-breasted coat with a high collar and a frilled white cravat."--British Museum online catalogue, description of a later state
Description:
Title from lettered state., Artist and printmaker from statements of responsibility on lettered state: M.A. Shee R.A. pinxt. ; W. Sharp sculpt., Second state according to Baker, before letters but with the border., For a lettered state with the imprint "London, Published by W. Sharp, April 7, 1803," see British Museum online catalogue, registration no.: 1841,0809.180., and Sheet trimmed to plate mark.
