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Illuminated tribute presented to Ira Aldridge
Illuminated Manuscript
1858 (painted)
1858 (painted)
| Artist/Maker | |
| Place of origin |
The African American actor Ira Aldridge (1807-1867) was born in New York where he was involved as a student with the African Theatre. He made his first London appearance in the East End, in May 1825 at the Royalty Theatre Whitechapel, as Othello. In October 1825 he played the enslaved West African Prince Oroonoko at the Coburg Theatre, billed as 'Mr. Keene'. By April 1833 he starred at Covent Garden as Othello, and a month later was at the Pavilion, billed as 'the African Roscius', playing Othello in mid-May, and two weeks later the vengeful Moorish Prince Zanga in Alonzo of Castile, a version of Young's play The Revenge. Aldridge's versatile repertoire encompassed comic and tragic parts, and white roles including Shylock and King Lear. A good singer, he even accompanied himself on the guitar performing ballads and minstrel songs, some made famous by his contemporary T.D. Rice (1808-1860).
Ira Aldridge found fame in Europe as well as Great Britain. This tribute was presented to him on his first visit to Russia in 1858, by which time he was already hailed as a star in Germany, Poland and Hungary where he had performed on tour from 1852 until 1855. He received many honors and awards during his career, including a commission in the Army of Haiti in the Seventeenth Regiment of the Grenadiers (1827); membership in the Prussian Academy of Arts and Sciences and receipt of the Prussian Gold Medal of the First Class for the Academy, (1853); receipt of Switzerland's White Cross (1854); membership in the Imperial and Archducal Institution of Hungary's Our Lady of the Manger (1856); knighthood in the Royal Saxon Ernestinischen House Order and receipt of the Verdienst Medal of the Order in Gold (1858); receipt of the Imperial Jubilee de Tolstoy Medal (1858); and membership in the National Dramatic Conservatoire of Hungary (1858).
Aldridge made several continental tours and died on a tour in Lódz, Poland, where he is buried in the Evangelical cemetery.
Ira Aldridge found fame in Europe as well as Great Britain. This tribute was presented to him on his first visit to Russia in 1858, by which time he was already hailed as a star in Germany, Poland and Hungary where he had performed on tour from 1852 until 1855. He received many honors and awards during his career, including a commission in the Army of Haiti in the Seventeenth Regiment of the Grenadiers (1827); membership in the Prussian Academy of Arts and Sciences and receipt of the Prussian Gold Medal of the First Class for the Academy, (1853); receipt of Switzerland's White Cross (1854); membership in the Imperial and Archducal Institution of Hungary's Our Lady of the Manger (1856); knighthood in the Royal Saxon Ernestinischen House Order and receipt of the Verdienst Medal of the Order in Gold (1858); receipt of the Imperial Jubilee de Tolstoy Medal (1858); and membership in the National Dramatic Conservatoire of Hungary (1858).
Aldridge made several continental tours and died on a tour in Lódz, Poland, where he is buried in the Evangelical cemetery.
Object details
| Categories | |
| Object type | |
| Title | Illuminated tribute presented to Ira Aldridge (generic title) |
| Materials and techniques | Pencil, watercolour, gouache on parchment |
| Brief description | Illuminated tribute presented to Ira Aldridge by 'The Russian Dramatical Artists'. Pencil, watercolour and gouache by J. Charlemagne, 1858 |
| Physical description | This illuminated tribute in pencil, watercolour and gouache on parchment was presented to Ira Aldridge by 'The Russian Dramatical Artists'. It shows a bust of Shakespeare surrounded by a laurel wreath with turquoise blue strap-work, inscribed with the names of some of Shakespeare's plays in which Aldridge appeared - clockwise, from top right: ANTONY AND CLEOPATRA, WINTER'S TALE, OTHELLO, MUCH ADO ABOUT NOTHING, KING RICHARD, MERCHANT OF VENICE, MACBETH, HENRY V, LOVE'S LABOURS LOST, KING LEAR, THE TEMPEST and AS YOU LIKE IT. There is a small portrait of Ira Aldridge as Shylock, kneeling and holding his knife, in a pendant roundel beneath the bust of Shakespeare, with the words: 'I would have my bond'. To the right and left are small full-length portraits of Aldridge standing, as Othello, right, and King Lear, left. Below Othello are inscribed the words in green paint (partly illegible) from Act 5 scene 2 of Othello: 'I have no wife. O, insupportable! O heavy hour.' Below the portrait of Aldridge as King Lear are inscribed the words from Act 3 Scene 2 of King Lear: 'Blow, winds, and crack your cheeks! rage! blow!'. The date 1858 is painted above the inscription in Russian, above which are portraits of three Classical Muses, one with a lyre, one with a mask on her head and holding a dagger, and one blowing a trumpet. Inscribed by the artist lower right: 'J.CHARLEMAGNE' |
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| Marks and inscriptions |
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| Credit line | Given by Professor Herbert Marshall |
| Object history | NB: The term "negro" was used historically to describe people of black African heritage but, since the 1960s, has fallen from usage and, increasingly, is considered offensive. The term is repeated here in its original historical context. This is one of two illuminated tributes given to Aldridge in St Petersburg. The other is also held by the V&A (S.82-2019). They were given by Aldridge's daughter, Amanda, to Herbert Marshall and Mildred Stock, the authors of the biography, Ira Aldridge: the Negro Tragedian (London: Rockcliff, 1958). The biography notes that this tribute was signed by 30 of Russia's leading actors (p.240). The lower section of the parchment which contained these signatures is now missing. |
| Subjects depicted | |
| Literary references |
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| Summary | The African American actor Ira Aldridge (1807-1867) was born in New York where he was involved as a student with the African Theatre. He made his first London appearance in the East End, in May 1825 at the Royalty Theatre Whitechapel, as Othello. In October 1825 he played the enslaved West African Prince Oroonoko at the Coburg Theatre, billed as 'Mr. Keene'. By April 1833 he starred at Covent Garden as Othello, and a month later was at the Pavilion, billed as 'the African Roscius', playing Othello in mid-May, and two weeks later the vengeful Moorish Prince Zanga in Alonzo of Castile, a version of Young's play The Revenge. Aldridge's versatile repertoire encompassed comic and tragic parts, and white roles including Shylock and King Lear. A good singer, he even accompanied himself on the guitar performing ballads and minstrel songs, some made famous by his contemporary T.D. Rice (1808-1860). Ira Aldridge found fame in Europe as well as Great Britain. This tribute was presented to him on his first visit to Russia in 1858, by which time he was already hailed as a star in Germany, Poland and Hungary where he had performed on tour from 1852 until 1855. He received many honors and awards during his career, including a commission in the Army of Haiti in the Seventeenth Regiment of the Grenadiers (1827); membership in the Prussian Academy of Arts and Sciences and receipt of the Prussian Gold Medal of the First Class for the Academy, (1853); receipt of Switzerland's White Cross (1854); membership in the Imperial and Archducal Institution of Hungary's Our Lady of the Manger (1856); knighthood in the Royal Saxon Ernestinischen House Order and receipt of the Verdienst Medal of the Order in Gold (1858); receipt of the Imperial Jubilee de Tolstoy Medal (1858); and membership in the National Dramatic Conservatoire of Hungary (1858). Aldridge made several continental tours and died on a tour in Lódz, Poland, where he is buried in the Evangelical cemetery. |
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| Collection | |
| Accession number | S.6452-2009 |
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| Record created | February 27, 2009 |
| Record URL |
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