King Lear
Scrap
ca. 1890 (printed)
ca. 1890 (printed)
Artist/Maker | |
Place of origin |
Decorative scraps first appeared in the early 19th century. Initially they were black and white engravings, but later were coloured by hand. By the 1820s they had become more elaborate and sometimes embossed, and within a decade both the printing and embossing processes were automated. They were colour printed by chromolithography, then coated with a gelatine and gum layer to give a gloss finish. After being embossed they were die-cut and put through a stamping press to cut away the unwanted areas of paper, leaving the individual images connected by small strips, often bearing the name or initials of the maker.
Scraps became extremely popular in Victorian England to be cut out by adults or children and stuck into albums, on to screens, or used for decorating greetings cards. This scrap is one of a set of twelve produced by Sigmund Hildesheimer & Company depicting Shakespearean characters played by popular actors. They were sold in packs costing one shilling, titled Characters from Shakespeare. A Series of Twelve Relief Scraps.David Garrick first played King Lear in London at Goodmans Fields Theatre in a production which opened on 28 May 1742, but not with Miss Younge as Cordelia.
Scraps became extremely popular in Victorian England to be cut out by adults or children and stuck into albums, on to screens, or used for decorating greetings cards. This scrap is one of a set of twelve produced by Sigmund Hildesheimer & Company depicting Shakespearean characters played by popular actors. They were sold in packs costing one shilling, titled Characters from Shakespeare. A Series of Twelve Relief Scraps.David Garrick first played King Lear in London at Goodmans Fields Theatre in a production which opened on 28 May 1742, but not with Miss Younge as Cordelia.
Object details
Categories | |
Object type | |
Title | King Lear (generic title) |
Materials and techniques | Printed paper |
Brief description | Printed paper scrap depicting David Garrick as King Lear and Miss Younge (Mrs Elizabeth Pope, 1744?-1797) as Cordelia in King Lear, Act IV scene 7. Chromolithograph printed by Siegmund Hildesheimer & Co., ca.1890. One of a series showing scenes from Shakespeare |
Physical description | Multicoloured paper scrap with printed lines of text, depicting David Garrick as King Lear and Miss Younge as Cordelia in King Lear, Act IV scene 7. Lear, in an ermine-trimmed robe. lies on a bed. Cordelia, standing, leans over him. Chromolithograph printed by Siegmund Hildesheimer & Co., ca.1890, with the monogram of Siegmund Hildesheimer & Co. |
Dimensions |
|
Gallery label | 11, 12
TINSEL PRINTS AND SCRAPS
One of the earliest forms of souvenirs was the tinsel print. These were not ready made, but had to be painstakingly assembled by gluing punched metal shapes and bits of cloth on to an engraving of a celebrity or character.
Another popular pastime was compiling scrapbooks. Sheets could be bought featuring a series of characters to be collected and pasted in as keepsakes.
Tinsel print showing Mr Wallack as the Monarch of the Deep Deep Sea
About 1830
Paper and metal
M.W. Stone Collection
Given by M.W. Stone
Museum no. S.33-1981
Scrap for a Shakespeare character card: King Lear
About 1890
Printed card
Given by British Theatre Museum Association
Museum no. S.149-2008
(March 2014) |
Credit line | Given by the British Theatre Museum Association |
Subjects depicted | |
Associations | |
Literary reference | <i>King Lear</i> |
Summary | Decorative scraps first appeared in the early 19th century. Initially they were black and white engravings, but later were coloured by hand. By the 1820s they had become more elaborate and sometimes embossed, and within a decade both the printing and embossing processes were automated. They were colour printed by chromolithography, then coated with a gelatine and gum layer to give a gloss finish. After being embossed they were die-cut and put through a stamping press to cut away the unwanted areas of paper, leaving the individual images connected by small strips, often bearing the name or initials of the maker. Scraps became extremely popular in Victorian England to be cut out by adults or children and stuck into albums, on to screens, or used for decorating greetings cards. This scrap is one of a set of twelve produced by Sigmund Hildesheimer & Company depicting Shakespearean characters played by popular actors. They were sold in packs costing one shilling, titled Characters from Shakespeare. A Series of Twelve Relief Scraps.David Garrick first played King Lear in London at Goodmans Fields Theatre in a production which opened on 28 May 1742, but not with Miss Younge as Cordelia. |
Associated object | S.2:4-2008 (Duplicate) |
Other number | 1973/A/119 - BTMA accession number |
Collection | |
Accession number | S.149-2008 |
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Record created | July 30, 2009 |
Record URL |
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