Artwork
H Beard Print Collection
H Beard Print Collection is a print by the Romanticist artist James Lonsdale. It dates from 1 and is held in the collection of the Victoria and Albert Museum.
About this work
This print shows a portrait of Mr. Yates from the Adelphi Theatre. It’s by James Lonsdale and dates to 1826, made as a print rather than paint. The museum calls it “The Late Lamented Frederic Yates.”
Romanticism often spotlighted actors and public figures. This one honors a theatre manager who’d just died. The print feels like a keepsake for fans.
Look up the Victoria and Albert Museum.
Overview
The work is a printed portrait created in 1826 by James Lonsdale, depicting the late Frederic Yates, who served as manager of London’s Adelphi Theatre. The image is catalogued under the title “The Late Lamented Frederic Yates” and is part of the museum’s H Beard Print Collection.
Subject & Meaning
The portrait commemorates Yates shortly after his death, presenting him as a respected figure within the theatrical community. By portraying a theatre manager rather than an actor, the print underscores the broader Romantic interest in celebrating cultural personalities who shaped public life.
Technique & Style
Executed as a print rather than a painted canvas, the image employs the fine line work typical of early‑19th‑century reproductive techniques. Lonsdale’s handling retains a degree of softness in the facial modeling, while the overall composition remains formal, suitable for a memorial likeness.
Context
During the Romantic period, visual artists frequently produced images of actors, singers, and other public figures, responding to a growing public fascination with celebrity. This print fits within that trend, serving as a keepsake for admirers of the Adelphi Theatre and its personnel.
History & Provenance
The print entered the Victoria and Albert Museum’s holdings as part of the H Beard Print Collection, a grouping of works that document British theatrical and cultural history from the early 19th century.
Artist & collection
Artist
James Lonsdale (16 May 1777, Lancaster – 17 January 1839, London) was a fashionable and prolific English portrait painter who exhibited some 138 works at the Royal Academy between 1802 and 1838, and was one of the founders of the Society…
