Not currently on display at the V&A

Drawing

late nineteenth century (drawn)
Artist/Maker
Place of origin

A pen and ink illustration showing captioned "Smoking Concert at the 20th Middx (Artists) Headquarters Club". It was drawn by Sir Amédée Forestier (1854–1930) and intended for reproduction in a newspaper/magazine.

Sir Amédée Forestier (1854 – 1930) was an Anglo-French artist and illustrator. He began working for the Illustrated London News in 1882 and became known for his attention to detail and historical illustrations.

This item is one of several theatrical drawings from a collection of sketches commissioned from contemporary artists to be printed in illustrated magazines. The collection was donated to the museum by Sir William James Ingram in 1914.



Object details

Categories
Object type
Materials and techniques
pen and ink on paper
Brief description
Pen and ink illustration created for publication. It shows the interior of the Middx (Artists) Headquarters club and is captioned "Smoking Concert at the 20th Middx (Artists) Headquarters Club". It was drawn by Sir Amédée Forestier (1854–1930). Given by Sir William Ingram.
Physical description
Pen and ink illustration created for publication. It shows the interior of the Middx (Artists) Headquarters club and is captioned "Smoking Concert at the 20th Middx (Artists) Headquarters Club". It was drawn by Sir Amédée Forestier (1854–1930). Groups of men in evening dress and military uniform are seated in rows facing the stage on which a performance is taking place. A series of four head and shoulders portraits, each labelled, [Capt.Weiss, Sergt. E.R.Pugh, Lieut C.E.Fripp, PVT.E.L.Moore,Pvt.G.C.L.Fry. Hon GEC], are positioned around the central sketch. Given by Sir William Ingram.
Dimensions
  • Height: 34.5cm
  • Width: 22.5cm (approximate)
Marks and inscriptions
  • SMOKING/CONCERT/AT THE 20th Middx (artists)/HEADQUARTERS/CLUB (Caption in the top right corner of the drawing)
  • A.L.F. (Signature of artist, left hand side of sketch.)
  • Transliteration
Credit line
Given by Sir William Ingram
Object history
Sir William Ingram (27 October 1847 – 18 December 1924) was a Liberal politician who was elected to, and sat, in the House of Commons on three occassions between 1878 and 1895. He was also the Managing Director of The Illustrated London News from the late 1870s until 1900 and became the proprietor of a number of additional publications including The Sketch and The English Illustrated Magazine.

The Illustrated London News was the world's first illustrated weekly newspaper. Founded by Sir William Ingram’s father, Herbert Ingram, in 1842 the first edition was sold on 14th May 1842 at a cost of sixpence per copy. Building from an original circulation of 26,000 to in excess of 300,000 at its peak, The Illustrated London News remained in print until 2003 and commissioned illustrations from many of the leading artists of the late nineteenth century. Photographs were used alongside illustrations from the late 19th century onwards but illustrations were a major feature of paper until after the end of the First World War.

Historical context
This sketch was one of a group of prints and pencil and pen and ink sketches donated to the museum in 1914 by Sir William Ingram (1847–1924). Part of this collection was originally donated to the Prints and Drawings Department with the majority later passing to the Theatre and Performance Department. The full collection includes work by a variety of artists amongst whom are: A. J Finberg; Ralph Cleaver; F.V.Poole and Rossi Ashton. Though not all the publications for which they were created are identified the majority of the sketches were commissioned for, and appeared in, The Illustrated London News, The English Illustrated Magazine or The Sketch.

Sir William Ingram became the proprietor of The Illustrated London News in the mid to late 1870s and remained in post until circa 1900 when he was succeeded by his he was succeeded by his son, Bruce Stirling Ingram (1877–1963). He also became the proprietor of The Sketch amongst other papers in which capacity he gave commissions to many leading artists of the late nineteenth and early twentieth century.
Summary
A pen and ink illustration showing captioned "Smoking Concert at the 20th Middx (Artists) Headquarters Club". It was drawn by Sir Amédée Forestier (1854–1930) and intended for reproduction in a newspaper/magazine.

Sir Amédée Forestier (1854 – 1930) was an Anglo-French artist and illustrator. He began working for the Illustrated London News in 1882 and became known for his attention to detail and historical illustrations.

This item is one of several theatrical drawings from a collection of sketches commissioned from contemporary artists to be printed in illustrated magazines. The collection was donated to the museum by Sir William James Ingram in 1914.

Collection
Accession number
S.364-2011

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Record createdDecember 1, 2011
Record URL
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