Eddison Collection
Print
1769 (printed)
1769 (printed)
| Artist/Maker | |
| Place of origin |
Born in Dublin, the son of a silversmith, Spranger Barry (1717-1777) was apprenticed in the same trade before becoming an actor in his mid-20s. He made his stage debut in Dublin as Othello, and worked at the Crow Street theatre in Dublin with the young David Garrick.
Barry and Garrick came to London where they worked at both Covent Garden and Drury Lane Theatres, becoming the most respected actors of their day, but their relationship veered from amicable collaboration to open hostility, especially when Garrick was the manager of Drury Lane and was employing the increasingly unreliable Barry. Othello was one of Spranger Barry's most popular parts, and one of the few in which Garrick did not succeed, nor attempt again after Barry's success in the role. This print shows Barry in the costume and make-up he wore for the part.
Barry and Garrick came to London where they worked at both Covent Garden and Drury Lane Theatres, becoming the most respected actors of their day, but their relationship veered from amicable collaboration to open hostility, especially when Garrick was the manager of Drury Lane and was employing the increasingly unreliable Barry. Othello was one of Spranger Barry's most popular parts, and one of the few in which Garrick did not succeed, nor attempt again after Barry's success in the role. This print shows Barry in the costume and make-up he wore for the part.
Object details
| Categories | |
| Object type | |
| Title | Eddison Collection (named collection) |
| Materials and techniques | Printed paper |
| Brief description | Spranger Barry in the title role of Shakespeare's play Othello, Theatre Royal Drury Lane, 4 October 1746, and 9 March 1749. Hand-coloured engraving. Robert Eddison Collection. |
| Physical description | Hand-coloured engraving showing Mr Barry as Othello wearing a floor-length green coat over a yellow tunic with a red, gold-fringed sash. He wears calf-length tan boots, red tights and a yellow turban with two red feathers. He stands legs akimbo, looking to his right. Above the image is the text: 'Mr. Barry in the Character of Othello' and below the image 'This only is the Witchcraft I have used. Act I scene 3.' |
| Dimensions |
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| Credit line | Accepted by HM Government in lieu of Inheritance Tax and allocated to the Victoria and Albert Museum, 1996 |
| Production | Possibly printed for J. Smith No.35 Cheapside & R. Sayer No.53 Fleet Street |
| Subject depicted | |
| Literary reference | <i>Othello</i> |
| Summary | Born in Dublin, the son of a silversmith, Spranger Barry (1717-1777) was apprenticed in the same trade before becoming an actor in his mid-20s. He made his stage debut in Dublin as Othello, and worked at the Crow Street theatre in Dublin with the young David Garrick. Barry and Garrick came to London where they worked at both Covent Garden and Drury Lane Theatres, becoming the most respected actors of their day, but their relationship veered from amicable collaboration to open hostility, especially when Garrick was the manager of Drury Lane and was employing the increasingly unreliable Barry. Othello was one of Spranger Barry's most popular parts, and one of the few in which Garrick did not succeed, nor attempt again after Barry's success in the role. This print shows Barry in the costume and make-up he wore for the part. |
| Collection | |
| Accession number | S.431-1997 |
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| Record created | September 26, 2007 |
| Record URL |
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