|
Date: |
|
Description: | Coloured aquatint. This view of the ‘Covent Garden Theatre’ depicts the second theatre on the site of the present day Royal Opera House at Covent Garden (the third on the site). This earliest theatre was established in 1732 by theatre manager John Rich, who shared dramatic rights for London performances with the only other London theatre: Theatre Royal, Drury Lane. The first Covent Garden building was designed by architect Edward Shepherd but partially reconstructed by Henry Holland in 1792. However, on 20 September that year the building was destroyed by fire. This subsequent theatre, designed by architect Robert Smirke, replaced the building a year later.
This print is the result of a collaboration between the English artist Thomas Rowlandson and French architectural draughtsman Augustus Charles Pugin. Pugin drew the architectural scenes and Rowlandson added the characters. The resulting prints formed part of ‘The Microcosm of London’, published by Rudolph Ackermann. Issued in monthly installments from 1808 to 1810, ‘The Microcosm of London’ comprised three volumes, which together included over 100 illustrations. | Subjects: | theatre interior topography 19th century costume theatre stage Victorian genre | Temporal: | 1810 | Source: | Government Art Collection | Creator: | Auguste Charles Pugin (Artist) | Identifier: | http://www.gac.culture.gov.uk/work.aspx?... | Go to resource |
|
|