drawing
- Museum number
- 1972,U.517
- Description
-
Scene One of 'The Necromancer or Harlequin Dr Faustus' which opened at Lincoln's Inn Fields 20 December 1723; a stage with flat-topped arch on either side of which are a crouching satyr supporting urns in a niche, on the stage, Mephistopheles, the Infernal Spirit (played by Richard Leveridge), receiving the Contract from Harlequin Faustus (John Rich), beyond, the colonnaded interior of Faustus's study, with chair and table. 1724
Pen and grey-brown ink and wash, over graphite
- Production date
- 1724 (circa)
- Dimensions
-
Height: 140 millimetres
-
Width: 165 millimetres
- Curator's comments
- This drawing was included in the exhibition 'The Georgian Playhouse: Actors, Artists, Audiences and Architecture 1730-1830' (Arts Council, Hayward Gallery, 1975, Iain Mackintosh and Geoffrey Ashton, cat. no. 14). The catalogue entry noted that farces or pantomimes were often performed at the theatre as 'afterpieces' and their popularity increased considerably after the success at Drury Lane and Lincoln's Inn Fields of two versions of the pantomime 'Harlequin Dr Faustus' during the 1723-24 season.
In 1975 the authors believed that the drawing represented the rival production at Drury Lane, of John Thurmond's pantomime 'Harlequin Dr Faustus' which opened on 23 November 1723. However Iain Mackintosh has kindly communciated his revised opinion in the light of the presence of the two satyrs on each side of the proscenium arch.
- Location
- Not on display
- Exhibition history
-
1955 BM, [Theatre exhibition], no.14
1964 Dec-May, BM, 'Hogarth', no. 229
1975 Aug-Oct, Hayward, 'The Georgian Playhouse', no. 14
- Acquisition date
- 1753-1972
- Acquisition notes
- Not known how acquired.
- Department
- Prints and Drawings
- Registration number
- 1972,U.517
