Artwork
H Beard Print Collection
H Beard Print Collection is a print by the Romanticist artist Hodgson & Co. It dates from 1 and is held in the collection of the Victoria and Albert Museum.
About this work
This print shows an actor on stage under the title Dozey in Past Ten O’Clock and a Rainy Night. Printed in 1825 by Hodgson & Co, it captures a moment from a popular play of the time.
Joseph Shepherd Munden was a well-known comic actor. He often played characters who fell asleep at the wrong time.
Look up the Victoria and Albert Museum.
Overview
This 1825 print, produced by Hodgson & Co., portrays a theatrical scene titled Dozey in Past Ten O’Clock and a Rainy Night. The image captures a moment from the stage production, focusing on the central figure of the actor in costume.
Subject & Meaning
The figure represented is Joseph Shepherd Mundi, a celebrated comic performer of the early nineteenth century. Known for roles in which his characters succumb to ill‑timed slumber, Mundi’s portrayal of Dozey underscores the humor derived from disrupted sleep and the ensuing mishaps.
Technique & Style
Executed as a single‑colour print, the work relies on line work and shading to convey depth and atmosphere, particularly the suggestion of rain and dim lighting implied by the title. The composition balances the actor’s expressive pose with minimal background detail, a common approach in theatrical prints of the period.
History & Provenance
Issued by the London publisher Hodgson & Co. in 1825, the print was part of a broader market for souvenir images of popular stage productions. It later entered the collection of the Victoria and Albert Museum, where it is catalogued among early nineteenth‑century theatrical ephemera.
Artist & collection
Artist
Hodgson & Co made prints in the early 1800s, mostly collected under the title H Beard Print Collection.
