The Pit Door
Print
1784 (published)
1784 (published)
| Artist/Maker | |
| Place of origin |
This print shows the rowdy nature of theatre audiences in the 18th century. Although caricatured in this image, the pit offered some of the cheapest tickets and notoriously raucous behaviour. The less wealthy patrons fought, threw things on to the stage and made loud comments. The genteel woman in the midst, being given smelling salts, is clearly in the wrong part of the theatre.
This print was produced after a watercolour by Robert Dighton, the son of the London printseller John Dighton. The first prints he designed were of actors for John Bell's edition of Shakespeare (1775-6), and soon he was offered consistent employment by the publisher Carington Bowles.He knew the theatrical world well, as he had a successful parallel career as an actor and singer and appeared at the Haymarket, Covent Garden and Sadler's Wells.
This print was produced after a watercolour by Robert Dighton, the son of the London printseller John Dighton. The first prints he designed were of actors for John Bell's edition of Shakespeare (1775-6), and soon he was offered consistent employment by the publisher Carington Bowles.He knew the theatrical world well, as he had a successful parallel career as an actor and singer and appeared at the Haymarket, Covent Garden and Sadler's Wells.
Object details
| Categories | |
| Object type | |
| Title | The Pit Door (assigned by artist) |
| Materials and techniques | Hand-coloured mezzotint |
| Brief description | Hand-coloured mezzotint, The Pit Door, showing a crowd pushing its way into an entrance to the Theatre Royal, Drury Lane. After Dighton. Printed and sold by Carrington Bowles. Published 9 November 1784. |
| Physical description | Hand-coloured mezzotint showing violent 18th Century crowds jostling to get in to a performance at the Theatre Royal Drury Lane. The title is printed at the bottom in English and French. |
| Dimensions |
|
| Production type | Mass produced |
| Marks and inscriptions |
|
| Gallery label | The Pit Door
1784
In the 18th century the pit offered some of the cheapest tickets: wealthy people preferred to sit in the boxes where they could be seen. Pit audiences were notorious for their raucous behaviour. They fought, threw things on to the stage and made loud comments. The genteel woman in the midst, being given smelling salts, is clearly in the wrong part of the theatre.
Hand-coloured mezzotint
After Dighton
Printed and sold by Carrington Bowles
Harry R. Beard Collection, given by Isobel Beard
Museum no. S.49-2008(2008) |
| Credit line | Harry R. Beard Collection, given by Isobel Beard |
| Subject depicted | |
| Summary | This print shows the rowdy nature of theatre audiences in the 18th century. Although caricatured in this image, the pit offered some of the cheapest tickets and notoriously raucous behaviour. The less wealthy patrons fought, threw things on to the stage and made loud comments. The genteel woman in the midst, being given smelling salts, is clearly in the wrong part of the theatre. This print was produced after a watercolour by Robert Dighton, the son of the London printseller John Dighton. The first prints he designed were of actors for John Bell's edition of Shakespeare (1775-6), and soon he was offered consistent employment by the publisher Carington Bowles.He knew the theatrical world well, as he had a successful parallel career as an actor and singer and appeared at the Haymarket, Covent Garden and Sadler's Wells. |
| Other number | f.81-12 - H Beard collection numbering |
| Collection | |
| Accession number | S.49-2008 |
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| Record created | July 3, 2008 |
| Record URL |
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