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Don Quixote

Poster
1895 (made)
Artist/Maker
Place of origin

This poster advertises the one-act play A Chapter from Don Quixote by W. G. Wills at the Lyceum Theatre, London, on 4 May 1895. Wills's play was based on episodes in Don Quixote (1605-1615), the famous novel by the Spanish writer Miguel de Cervantes (1547-1616). Using their distinctive collage technique, The Beggarstaffs designed three versions of this monumental and sombre poster for a production starring Henry Irving. Their approach was a radical departure for theatrical advertising, and Irving declined to use it, declaring he wanted 'No more mills!' He similarly rejected a later Beggarstaffs' design for the play Robespierre. Although not seen on the hoardings, this poster for A Chapter from Don Quixote was influential through its illustration in various periodicals.


Object details

Categories
Object type
TitleDon Quixote (assigned by artist)
Materials and techniques
Collage
Brief description
Original design for a poster intended to advertise Sir Henry Irving's production of 'Don Quixote' at the Lyceum Theatre, London, but not issued as a poster; Showing Don Quixote seated on a white horse; Black and brown paper cut out and pasted on white; Signed; By Beggarstaff Brothers; Great Britain; 1895.
Physical description
'Lyceum - Don Quixote'; Original design for a poster intended to advertise Sir Henry Irving's production of Don Quixote at the Lyceum Theatre, London, but not issued as a poster; Showing Don Quixote seated on a white horse, holding a large staff, with a windmill behind him and text in the top-right corner; Black and brown paper cut out and pasted on white; Signed.
Dimensions
  • Height: 1933mm
  • Width: 1965mm
  • From catalogue (see notes) height: 193cm
  • From catalogue (see notes) width: 196.2cm
Second set of dimensions taken from: Summary Catalogue of British Posters to 1988 in the Victoria & Albert Museum in the Department of Design, Prints & Drawing. Emmett Publishing. 1990. 129 p. ISBN: 1 869934 12 1
Production typeDesign
Marks and inscriptions
Beggarstaff (Signed.)
Credit line
Bequeathed by J. R. Holliday
Subjects depicted
Literary references
  • Don Quixote by Cervantes
  • 'A Chapter from Don Quixote' a one-act play by W.G.Wills
Summary
This poster advertises the one-act play A Chapter from Don Quixote by W. G. Wills at the Lyceum Theatre, London, on 4 May 1895. Wills's play was based on episodes in Don Quixote (1605-1615), the famous novel by the Spanish writer Miguel de Cervantes (1547-1616). Using their distinctive collage technique, The Beggarstaffs designed three versions of this monumental and sombre poster for a production starring Henry Irving. Their approach was a radical departure for theatrical advertising, and Irving declined to use it, declaring he wanted 'No more mills!' He similarly rejected a later Beggarstaffs' design for the play Robespierre. Although not seen on the hoardings, this poster for A Chapter from Don Quixote was influential through its illustration in various periodicals.
Bibliographic references
  • Livingstone, Karen & Parry, Linda (eds.), International Arts and Crafts, London : V&A Publications, 2005 no.5.4
  • Campbell, Colin, Merlin James, Patricia Reed and Sanford Schwartz, eds. The Art of William Nicholson London: Royal Academy of Arts, 2004. ISBN: 1903973457.
  • Summary Catalogue of British Posters to 1988 in the Victoria & Albert Museum in the Department of Design, Prints & Drawing. Emmett Publishing, 1990. 129 p. ISBN: 1 869934 12 1
  • Victoria and Albert Museum, Department of Engraving, Illustration and Design and Department of Paintings, Accessions 1927, London: Board of Education, 1928.
Other number
4/A7 - V&A microfiche
Collection
Accession number
E.1208-1927

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Record createdMarch 10, 2003
Record URL
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