Who painted H Beard Print Collection?

H Beard Print Collection was painted by François Séraphin Delpech in 1820.

Where can I see H Beard Print Collection?

H Beard Print Collection is held by Victoria and Albert Museum.

What movement is H Beard Print Collection?

H Beard Print Collection is associated with Romanticism.

Artwork

H Beard Print Collection

François Séraphin Delpech , 1820

H Beard Print Collection is a print by the Romanticist artist François Séraphin Delpech. It dates from 1820 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 Delpech, François Séraphin. It's from around 1820.

This print depicts a person named Mlle. Bigotini, also known as Emilie Bigottini, in a role called Victor. She is shown in a scene from Les pages du duc de Vendôme.

You can learn more about the movement that influenced this work by looking up Romanticism.

Overview

Created circa 1820, this print belongs to the H Beard Print Collection and is attributed to French lithographer François Séraphin Delpech. Executed in the early nineteenth‑century print medium, the work presents a theatrical scene that captures a moment from the drama Les pages du duc de Vendôme.

Subject & Meaning

The image portrays the dancer and actress Emilie Bigottini, known onstage as Mlle Bigotini, assuming the male role of Victor. By depicting a woman in a traditionally masculine part, the print reflects contemporary interests in gender fluidity on the stage and the dramatic tension of the play’s narrative.

Technique & Style

Delpech employed lithographic methods typical of the period, rendering fine line work and tonal contrasts that convey both the costume detail and the expressive gestures of the performer. The composition balances clarity of figure with a suggestive background, aligning with the Romantic era’s emphasis on emotion and theatricality.

Context

Les pages du duc de Vendôme was a popular Romantic drama in post‑Napoleonic France, and prints of its scenes circulated widely as visual souvenirs. The inclusion of Bigottini, a celebrated performer of the time, underscores the print’s role in documenting theatrical culture and the broader Romantic fascination with historic and heroic subjects.