Madame Catalani thumbnail 1
Not currently on display at the V&A

Madame Catalani

Print
10 January 1807 (published)
Artist/Maker
Place of origin

The Italian soprano Angelica Catalani (1780-1849) was already an established star in Italy, Spain, Portugal and France before her debut in England at London's King's Theatre in Marco Portogallo's opera Il Morto di Semiramide at the King's Theatre on 15 December 1806. She was an overnight sensation and soon became one of the highest-paid opera stars on the English stage, reigning as the prima donna of opera in England until 1813 when she left the King's Theatre having tried unsuccessfully to buy it. She sang the role of Susanna in the original London production of Mozart's Le Nozze di Figaro at the Pantheon on May 1812, was feted by nobility and royalty, and painted by many artists.

This print was made by the London based engraver Samuel Freeman (1773-1857) who specialised in stipple engraving, a method of printing that could accurately represent the softness and fluidity of crayon drawings. Prints of actors and singers were much in demand because of the level of fame that the greatest could achieve, and one of Freeman's earliest engravings was of the actor David Garrick after a portrait by Sir Joshua Reynolds. The original of this portrait was by the Irish miniaturist and portrait painter Adam Buck (1759-1833) whose small full-length portraits were often done in water-colour or in wax crayon. Buck moved to London from Cork in 1795 where he became a fashionable portrait painter in the classical style, exhibiting over 170 miniatures and small full-length portraits at the Royal Academy between 1795 and 1833. Madame Catalani was one of his patrons, along with the actor-manager John Philip Kemble who was criticised in 1809 for having to enlarge Covent Garden Theatre and raise its prices to afford to engage Catalani.

This portrait was printed by William Holland both on paper and on silk in January 1807, the paper version being probably less expensive.


Object details

Categories
Object type
TitleMadame Catalani (assigned by artist)
Materials and techniques
colour stipple engraving
Brief description
Portrait of Angelica Catalani (1780-1849). Stipple engraving by Samuel Freeman (1773-1857) after the portrait by Adam Buck (1759-1833). Published by William Holland, 10 January 1807. Harry Beard Collection
Physical description
Colour three-quarter length print of Madame Catalani standing, in profile, gesticulating to her left, wearing a gold coronet and a white dress with classical-style drapery.
Dimensions
  • Print size height: 38.2cm
  • Print size width: 26.2cm
  • Total including mount height: 40.7cm
  • Total including mount width: 30.3cm
Marks and inscriptions
Buck, del. Published Jany 10, 1807, by William Holland, No. 11, Cockspur Streer London. Engraved by Freeman
Credit line
Harry Beard Collection
Subject depicted
Summary
The Italian soprano Angelica Catalani (1780-1849) was already an established star in Italy, Spain, Portugal and France before her debut in England at London's King's Theatre in Marco Portogallo's opera Il Morto di Semiramide at the King's Theatre on 15 December 1806. She was an overnight sensation and soon became one of the highest-paid opera stars on the English stage, reigning as the prima donna of opera in England until 1813 when she left the King's Theatre having tried unsuccessfully to buy it. She sang the role of Susanna in the original London production of Mozart's Le Nozze di Figaro at the Pantheon on May 1812, was feted by nobility and royalty, and painted by many artists.

This print was made by the London based engraver Samuel Freeman (1773-1857) who specialised in stipple engraving, a method of printing that could accurately represent the softness and fluidity of crayon drawings. Prints of actors and singers were much in demand because of the level of fame that the greatest could achieve, and one of Freeman's earliest engravings was of the actor David Garrick after a portrait by Sir Joshua Reynolds. The original of this portrait was by the Irish miniaturist and portrait painter Adam Buck (1759-1833) whose small full-length portraits were often done in water-colour or in wax crayon. Buck moved to London from Cork in 1795 where he became a fashionable portrait painter in the classical style, exhibiting over 170 miniatures and small full-length portraits at the Royal Academy between 1795 and 1833. Madame Catalani was one of his patrons, along with the actor-manager John Philip Kemble who was criticised in 1809 for having to enlarge Covent Garden Theatre and raise its prices to afford to engage Catalani.

This portrait was printed by William Holland both on paper and on silk in January 1807, the paper version being probably less expensive.
Associated object
Other number
F.103-21 - H Beard collection numbering
Collection
Accession number
S.6249-2009

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Record createdApril 17, 2009
Record URL
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