- Museum number
- 1933,1014.640
- Title
- Object: Wolves triumphant - or - a fig for public opinion.
- Description
-
A corner of the stage (right) at Drury Lane, with a section of the pit in the foreground (left). Kean, as Richard III, postures before his tent, frantically flourishing his sword, and exclaiming Richard is not himself again ha—. All the occupants of the pit have the heads of wolves; all lean forward applauding wildly: Bravo Kean for ever; Bravisimo Bravo [&c. &c] Little Breeches for ever [see BM Satires 14862]; No Cocks; Turn out the Alderman; Bow, wow, wow. Above the draped tent is Veluti in Speculum; within it are Richard's bed, crown, and shield. Elliston leans from the wings to say to Kean: Remember your Bond Kean stand the storm of Public displeasure and we'll pay the £800 for you. success to Swindling. Winston looks over Elliston's shoulder to say: Send Theatrical Wind and Stone at the Geese. On the left are two tiers of three boxes: next the stage are supporters of Kean: below, a lady looks through an opera-glass, saying, The dear man, how Charming he looks. Oh! I shall faint. Beside her is a man wearing a star. Above, a lady leans out to wave a handkerchief, saying, Bravo Kean my dear fellow bravo! stand your ground. A lady behind her: Bravo bravo Clap. clap. clap. In front of the middle box below sits Cox, with huge reindeer's antlers, leaning on a playbill: Richard III with the Pantomime of Cock-a-Doodle. He says: How Keen he looks at me what the Devil Cocks me here? I must cut a queer figure with this head dress. With him are men who shout Hiss hiss hiss and Off Off off off. The front of this box is decorated by three figures dancing hand in hand who are evidently (left to right) Kean, in theatrical costume, Cox, with antlers, and Watmore with a pen behind his ear. In the box above, Watmore, wearing a mask, says: What more have I to expect? Old Cockey has turned me out of the Custom house, and my treachery exposed. I am ashamed to shew my face. Others in his box shout Hiss, hiss, hiss and out out. The lower box on the extreme left contains hissers or 'geese' who hiss and say off off; a man says: Ve vont the manager. The decoration of this box is an assassin with dagger and lantern about to murder a prostrate man. In the box above a blowsy woman applauds: Bravo, [&c], another occupant hisses. January 1825
Hand-coloured etching
- Production date
- 1825
- Dimensions
-
Height: 250 millimetres
-
Width: 351 millimetres
- $Inscriptions
-
- Curator's comments
- (Description and comment from M. Dorothy George, 'Catalogue of Political and Personal Satires in the British Museum', X, 1952)
When Kean reappeared as Richard at Drury Lane on 24 Jan., after the trial, see No. 14863, the theatre was packed with his opponents and supporters, intent on a demonstration with something of the character of the O.P. riots (see No. 11414, &c). The friends of Kean are represented as 'the Wolves', see No. 12919, &c, his (disbanded) tavern club, and were so stigmatized by The Times (28 Jan.). On 28 Jan. (when Kean played Othello) Elliston, the Manager, was summoned by the display of a placard, and he appeared at the close of the play to explain that he had signed a contract with Mr. Kean, who had himself chosen to face the public to fulfil it. He shook hands with Kean, who was at last allowed to speak. Europ. Mag. lxxxvii. 86-8; Life of Edmund Kean, 1835, ii. 220 f.; Playfair, Kean, 1939, pp. 244 ff See No. 14710, &c.
- Location
- Not on display
- Acquisition date
- 1933
- Department
- Prints and Drawings
- Registration number
- 1933,1014.640
