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Not currently on display at the V&A

Drawing

1896 (drawn)
Artist/Maker
Place of origin

Pen and ink illustration created for publication in <i>The Sketch</i>in 1896. It shows the backstage/wings area of the Theatre Royal Drury Lane during a performance of, or rehearsal for, the Drury Lane Pantomime. The drawing is not signed or dated but annotation on the rear indicates that the drawing was made in 1896 by L.Gunnis.

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 drawing board
Brief description
Pen and ink illustration created for publication in The Sketch in 1896. It shows the backstage/wings area of the Theatre Royal Drury Lane during a performance of, or rehearsal for, the Drury Lane Pantomime. Annotation on the rear indicates that the drawing was made in 1896 by L.Gunnis. Given by Sir William Ingram in 1914.
Physical description
Pen and ink illustration created for publication in <i>The Sketch</i>in 1896. It shows the backstage/wings area of the Theatre Royal Drury Lane during a performance of, or rehearsal for, the Drury Lane Pantomime. In the foreground two men are shown moving stage flats, whilst figures in a variety of costumes (ranging from soldiers uniforms to formal suits) are visible grouped upon the stage.
Annotation on the rear indicates that the drawing was made in 1896 by L.Gunnis. Given by Sir William Ingram in 1914.
Dimensions
  • Length: 38.2cm
  • Width: 27.1cm
Marks and inscriptions
  • 'Drury Lane/Pantomime/An article of Mr. Bensusans[?]' (Handwritten annotation in pencil in the top right hand corner of the sketch)
  • 3 1/2 wide (Pencil annotation to the bottom right of the sketch)
  • 'put line/down here/as marked/by pencil' (Handwritten annotation in pencil at the left hand side of the sketch)
  • 'Behind the Scenes III. - Drury Lane Pantomime'/Vol. XIII, p.173, 1896/The Ball Scene' (Handwritten annotation in pencil on the rear of the sketch)
  • 'Sketch/Wed/10' (Handwritten annotation in pencil on the rear centre of the illustration)
  • 'L.Gunnis' (Handwritten annotation in blue pencil crayon on the rear of the illustration.)
  • 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.
Place depicted
Summary
Pen and ink illustration created for publication in <i>The Sketch</i>in 1896. It shows the backstage/wings area of the Theatre Royal Drury Lane during a performance of, or rehearsal for, the Drury Lane Pantomime. The drawing is not signed or dated but annotation on the rear indicates that the drawing was made in 1896 by L.Gunnis.

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.402-2011

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Record createdApril 19, 2012
Record URL
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