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Drawing
Fesch, Jean Louis, born 1733 - died 1778 - Enlarge image
Drawing
- Date:
ca.1770 (painted)
- Artist/Maker:
Fesch, Jean Louis, born 1733 - died 1778 (artist)
- Materials and Techniques:
Watercolour, indian ink and gold paint on vellum
- Museum number:
S.446-1979
- Gallery location:
Theatre & Performance, room 106b, case 6, shelf A
David Garrick (1717-1779) created a sensation amongst London theatregoers when he appeared as Richard III in 1741. The naturalism of his acting contrasted with the more declamatory style of his contemporaries and amazed audiences by its realism. As an actor at Covent Garden and at Drury Lane, which he managed from 1747 until 1776, Garrick played 17 of Shakespeare's roles. He concentrated on tragedy and only acted in two of the comedies: The Winter's Tale and Much Ado About Nothing. Much Ado About Nothing was seldom seen in the 18th century until Garrick re-introduced it to the repertory in 1748. Benedick became one of his favourite roles. He played it 113 times and it was the part in which he liked to appear at the start of each theatre season.
There was little attempt at historical accuracy in 18th century costuming. Jean Fesch's watercolour shows Benedick as a contemporary gentleman whose red frock coat with an epaulette on the shoulder, suggesting the uniform of an army officer, is appropriate for a character newly returned from the wars. His sweeping bow is both theatrical and realistic and has a feeling of movement often absent from theatre portraiture of the period. Fesch (ca.1738-1778) was a Swiss miniaturist. He came to London where he made the drawings which illustrated John Smith's Dramatic Characters from the English Stage in the Days of Garrick (1770). His watercolour of Benedick is in a similar style and was probably painted at the same time.
