Artwork
H Beard Print Collection
H Beard Print Collection is a print by the Baroque artist John Faber. It dates from 1734 and is held in the collection of the Victoria and Albert Museum.
About this work
This print from 1734 shows a woman dressed for a stage role. John Faber the Younger made it as a portrait. The woman looks like a character named Phillida.
It shows how prints could capture actors from the time. The image is held at the Victoria and Albert Museum now.
Check out more Baroque prints by John Faber the Younger.
Overview
The work is a 1734 print by John Faber the Younger, executed as a portrait of a theatrical figure. It depicts a woman in costume, identified as Mrs. Clive—who later performed under the name Miss Rafter—enacting the role of Phillida. The image exemplifies the practice of commemorating stage performers through print media in the early eighteenth century.
Subject & Meaning
The sitter is presented in the attire of the character Phillida, a role from contemporary drama, allowing viewers to recognize both the actress and her part. By portraying the actress in costume, the print underscores the close relationship between theatrical performance and visual representation, serving both as a likeness of the performer and a record of a specific role.
Technique & Style
Created with the printmaking methods typical of the period, the image employs fine line work and shading to render facial features and elaborate costume details. Faber’s approach balances realistic portraiture with the decorative flair of Baroque theatrical aesthetics, emphasizing texture in fabrics and the dramatic posture of the figure.
History & Provenance
The print was produced in 1734 and has remained in institutional collections, currently housed in the Victoria and Albert Museum. Its survival in a major museum collection reflects the historical value placed on prints that documented popular actors and theatrical productions of the time.
Context
During the early eighteenth century, prints served as a primary means of disseminating images of celebrated stage personalities to a broader public. John Faber the Younger specialized in such portrait prints, contributing to a visual culture that celebrated theatrical talent alongside the performing arts.
Artist & collection
Artist
John Faber made small, finely detailed prints of people in the early 1700s. His engravings capture sitters like Miss Fenton in crisp lines and subtle shading. These portraits belong to the same era as Hogarth’s moral…
