Not currently on display at the V&A

Drawing

1903 (drawn)
Artist/Maker
Place of origin

A sketch entitled 'Audience Relations' executed in black ink with highlights in white paint. It shows the interior of a theatre in which a fight has broken out between the audience members and the performers who stand in front of the footlights. The scenery appears to be falling down behind them.

It was created for publication in a magazine/newspaper, probably the Penny Illustrated Paper and was drawn by Frederick Victor Poole (1865-1936) in 1903. He signed and dated the sketch with his initials 'F.V.P.' in the bottom right hand corner.

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
paint and ink on paper
Brief description
Illustration entitled 'Audience Relations' and executed in black ink with highlights in white paint. Created for publication in a magazine/newspaper, probably the Penny Illustrated Paper. It was drawn by F.V.Poole in 1903. Given by Sir William Ingram in 1914.
Physical description
Illustration entitled 'Audience Relations' and executed in black ink with highlights in white paint. It shows the interior of a theatre in which a fight has broken out between the performers on the stage and audience. Most of the female audience members, and indeed the actresses on the stage, are hanging back or exclaiming in dismay, but many of the male audience members are actually trying to climb onto the stage, their fists upraised.
The sketch was created for publication in a magazine/newspaper, probably the Penny Illustrated Paper. It was drawn by F.V.Poole in 1903. Given by Sir William Ingram in 1914.


Dimensions
  • Height: 25.7cm
  • Width: 35.6cm (approximate)
Marks and inscriptions
  • F.V.P./03 (Annotation in paint in the bottom right hand corner of the sketch)
  • 9 1/2/P.I.P. (Handwritten annotation in pencil on the rear of the 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 sketch entitled 'Audience Relations' executed in black ink with highlights in white paint. It shows the interior of a theatre in which a fight has broken out between the audience members and the performers who stand in front of the footlights. The scenery appears to be falling down behind them.

It was created for publication in a magazine/newspaper, probably the Penny Illustrated Paper and was drawn by Frederick Victor Poole (1865-1936) in 1903. He signed and dated the sketch with his initials 'F.V.P.' in the bottom right hand corner.

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.366-2011

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Record createdDecember 16, 2011
Record URL
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