Artwork
H Beard Print Collection
H Beard Print Collection is a print by the Romanticist artist W. Clarke. It dates from 13 and is held in the collection of the Victoria and Albert Museum.
About this work
The H Beard Print Collection is a print made by W. Clarke.
It's interesting that this print was published in London, which was a major hub for art and culture at the time. The fact that it was published on a specific date, 13th August 1821, suggests that it was a significant work.
You can learn more about this style by looking into the movement: Romanticism.
Overview
The H Beard Print Collection features a full-length portrait of actor Edmund Kean in the role of Richard III, produced as a print by publisher W. Clarke in London.
Subject & Meaning
The print captures Edmund Kean's portrayal of Richard III, highlighting the intersection of theatrical performance and visual art in early 19th-century London's cultural scene.
Technique & Style
While specific artistic techniques are not detailed, the work's association with Romanticism suggests an emphasis on expressive, emotionally charged representation, characteristic of the movement.
History & Provenance
Published on August 13, 1821, by W. Clarke in London, a then-major art and cultural hub, indicating the print's significance within its contemporary context.
Context
Created amidst London's vibrant early 19th-century art and theatre scene, the print reflects the city's role as a center for both cultural production and dissemination.
Artist & collection
Artist
English printmaker in the early 1800s, W. Clarke turned news into pictures. The H Beard Print Collection shows broadside scenes—street life, fairs, market days—etched in crisp lines, the kind of images you’d tack up in…
