Not currently on display at the V&A

William Courtenay & Thomas Wise

Print
1922 (published)
Artist/Maker
Place of origin

Al Frueh (1880-1968) was an American cartoonist and caricaturist for The New Yorker magazine from 1925 to 1962. This print forms part of a portfolio of caricatures, Stage Folk: A Book of Caricatures by Frueh, published by Lieber & Lewis in 1922. It had been previous published in The World on 27th January 1918, and later exhibited at the Theatre Museum in Theatre Caricatures by Al Frueh: West End Meets Broadway, in 1990.

This print shows William Courtenay (1875-1933) and Thomas Wise (1865-1928) in the comedy The General Post by J.E. Harold Terry (1885-1939). Courtenay was an American matinee idol admired for his good looks, and Wise an English-born actor and dramatist, who moved to the U.S. early in his career. The General Post played at the Gaiety Theatre in New York, and the Haymarket in London in 1917. It was described by the New York Times as "a comedy in three acts in which is shown how the English caste system is being undermined by the new war conditions".



Object details

Categories
Object type
TitleWilliam Courtenay & Thomas Wise (assigned by artist)
Materials and techniques
Linocut, printed ink on paper
Brief description
Colour linocut by Al Frueh of William Courtenay and Thomas Wise in the comedy The General Post by J.E. Harold Terry, published 1922
Physical description
Linocut caricature showing Thomas Wise in profile wearing a charcoal black suit. William Courtney is standing behind in a white suit, smiling and looking down at Courtney. The main outline drawing has been printed in solid black, with Wise's jacket overprinted in semi-opaque charcoal black. Wise's face has been printed in pale pink. Wise's eye, shirt collar and hand have been left un-printed showing the paper beneath. Wise's hair, Courtney's eyes and Frueh's signature have been printed in pale grey.
Dimensions
  • Height: 39.2cm
  • Width: 26.8cm
Dimensions taken from exhibition catalogue
Credit line
Given by Alfred J Frueh
Subjects depicted
Summary
Al Frueh (1880-1968) was an American cartoonist and caricaturist for The New Yorker magazine from 1925 to 1962. This print forms part of a portfolio of caricatures, Stage Folk: A Book of Caricatures by Frueh, published by Lieber & Lewis in 1922. It had been previous published in The World on 27th January 1918, and later exhibited at the Theatre Museum in Theatre Caricatures by Al Frueh: West End Meets Broadway, in 1990.

This print shows William Courtenay (1875-1933) and Thomas Wise (1865-1928) in the comedy The General Post by J.E. Harold Terry (1885-1939). Courtenay was an American matinee idol admired for his good looks, and Wise an English-born actor and dramatist, who moved to the U.S. early in his career. The General Post played at the Gaiety Theatre in New York, and the Haymarket in London in 1917. It was described by the New York Times as "a comedy in three acts in which is shown how the English caste system is being undermined by the new war conditions".

Bibliographic reference
Theatre Caricatures by Al Frueh: West End Meets Broadway, introduction by Mike and Nancy Frueh. London: Theatre Museum, 1990. 16p.
Collection
Accession number
S.445-1990

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Record createdFebruary 8, 2013
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