On display
Image of Gallery in South Kensington

Henry Irving's final performances

Poster
1905 (made)
Artist/Maker
W. Lobley and Sons Ltd (printers (people))
Place of origin
Bradford (made)

Typographic poster advertising the farewell performances of Henry Irving and his company at the Theatre Royal and Opera House, Bradford, commencing on Monday, 9 October 1905. The plays to be performed are The Merchant of Venice, Becket, Louis XI, and The Bells. Printed in black lettering with the word 'FAREWELL' in red.

Object details

Categories
Entertainment & Leisure
Advertising
Posters
Theatre
Object type
Poster
TitleHenry Irving's final performances (generic title)
Materials and techniques
Printing ink on paper
Printing Ink
Paper
Printing
Brief description
Poster advertising The Merchant of Venice, Becket, Louis XI, and The Bells at the Theatre Royal and Opera House, Bradford, 1905, billed as the farewell performances of Henry Irving
Physical description
Typographic poster advertising the farewell performances of Henry Irving and his company at the Theatre Royal and Opera House, Bradford, commencing on Monday, 9 October 1905. The plays to be performed are The Merchant of Venice, Becket, Louis XI, and The Bells. Printed in black lettering with the word 'FAREWELL' in red.
Dimensions
  • Height: 76.2cm
  • Width: 25.5cm
Marks and inscriptions
Stamped with Enthoven collection, V.A.M. stamp.
Gallery label
(2020)
Gallery rotation, 2020

POSTER FOR HENRY IRVING’S FINAL PERFORMANCES
1905

In 1905 the famous actor/manager Henry Irving was in the second year of his prolonged farewell tour. He was not in good health and planned to retire in 1906. At Bradford’s Theatre Royal on 13 October, he played the leading character in Alfred Tennyson’s play, Becket, and then collapsed and died in his hotel. There was national mourning for this popular star.

Printing ink on paper
Museum no. S.2475-1995
Credit line
Gabrielle Enthoven Collection
Object history
Associated Production: The Merchant of Venice (9.10.1905, playwright: William Shakespeare), Becket (10.10.1905, author: Alfred, Lord Tennyson, adaptor: Henry Irving), Louis XI (11.10.1905, playwright: Casimir Delavigne, adaptor: Dion Boucicault), The Bells (12.10.1905). Actor: Henry Irving. Henry Irving's Company. Theatre Royal and Opera House, Bradford. Performance category: drama.
Production
Printers based at 41 Godwin Street, Bradford.
Collection
Theatre and Performance Collection
Accession number
S.2475-1995

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Record createdJuly 30, 2010
Record URL
https://collections.vam.ac.uk/item/O1167566/henry-irvings-final-performances-poster-w-lobley-and/
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