This furnishing fabric is decorated with scenes from David Garrick's play Lethe, first performed at Drury Lane Theatre, London, in 1740. The figures here are taken from prints by Gabriel Smith and A. Moseley from 1750, and the textile was probably designed at about the time of the command performance of 1766.
The lady in this scene is accompanied by a young black page-boy. Images such as this were very common in paintings and prints of the period, though they were slightly more unusual on textiles. Many black boy servants were employed, particularly by women, in white households in 18th-century western Europe. But, when they became adults, they were sometimes turned out of their homes and forced to join the ranks of the urban poor. In the 18th century, images of black people were associated with exoticism and luxury, in sharp contrast to the harsh realities of racism that characterised the experience of many black people in Europe.
Physical description
[Furnishing fabric] Length of fustian (linen warp, cotton weft) plate printed in china blue. Intact selvedges, cut at top and bottom edges. Modern seam a quarter of the length from top, pattern joined exactly but the pattern is printed in a slightly different placement on the fabric so the selvedges do not line up exactly. Missing selvedge at upper left edge.
Some faults in printing caused by original creases in the fabric.
Repeating pattern in vertical rows of the following scenes : (1) a lady wearing a three-cornered hat and mantua with Mercury and a black page boy holding an open fan. They are standing underneath a flowering tree. A man carrying an apple is approaching on the right. In the background on the left is a Chinese-style pavilion. (2) A man attended by his servant talking to a seated hunch-backed man. Another man approaches from the right. Behind him are ruins.
The pattern does not continue from side to side.
Scenes are depicted from the play by David Garrick with figures from prints by Gabriel Smith and A Moseley (1750).
Place of Origin
England, Great Britain (made)
Date
ca. 1766 (designed)
Artist/maker
unknown (production)
Materials and Techniques
Linen and cotton, plate-printed in china blue
Dimensions
[Furnishing fabric] Height: 98 cm pattern repeat, Width: 80 cm pattern repeat, Length: 236.5 cm, Width: 81 cm at bottom
[Furnishing fabric] Length: 72 in taken from register, Width: 31 in taken from register
[Printed cotton] Length: 24 in taken from register, Width: 31 in taken from register
Object history note
This textile was probably designed about the time of the command performance of 'Lethe' 1766. 'Lethe: or, Esop in the shades'' a comedy, was David Garrick's first play, produced at Drury Lane in April 1740.
Descriptive line
Textile with scenes from Lethe, a play by David Garrick, plate-printed cotton, Britain, ca. 1770.
Bibliographic References (Citation, Note/Abstract, NAL no)
King, D, ed. British textile design in the Victoria and Albert Museum. Tokyo, 1980. vol.II, p. 165
Exhibition History
Two Centuries of British Fashion. From the Collection of the Victoria and Albert Museum, London
Kremlin State Museum, Moscow
5 Sept - 17 Nov 2008
1776 : a Londoner's View (01/01/1976-31/12/1976)
The Artist and the Georgian Playhouse (Hayward Gallery, London 01/01/1975-31/12/1975)
Labels and date
Scenes from 'Lethe'
Linen and cotton, plate-printed in blue. Decorated with scenes from Garrick's play 'Lethe', including Kitty Clive as the 'Fair Lady' and Henry Woodward as the 'Fine Gentleman'. The play was first produced at Drury Lane in 1740. Porcelain figures of Kitty Clive and Henry Woodward in this play were made at Bow about 1750. It is probable that the textile was made to commemorate the Command Performance of 23 January 1766. [1992]
Associated names
David Garrick
Materials
Cotton; Linen
Techniques
Printing; Weaving
Categories
Textiles; Black History
Collection code
T&F
