Artwork
H Beard Print Collection
H Beard Print Collection is a print by the Impressionist artist Jonathan Richardson. It dates from 1875 and is held in the collection of the Victoria and Albert Museum. A hand-coloured print from 1875, published by E.
About this work
This is a hand-coloured print from 1875. It shows Anne Oldfield, a well-known figure of her time. The print mixes Impressionism and Realism, two art movements that focus on light and everyday life.
It was made by Jonathan Richardson the elder. E. Dexter published it the same year the print was made.
Look up the Victoria and Albert Museum next.
Overview
The print is a reproductive work, derived from an original painting rather than an original composition of its time.
A hand-coloured print from 1875, published by E. Dexter, portrays the 18th-century actress Anne Oldfield. Though dated to the Victorian era, the image reproduces an earlier portrait, not created in 1875. The print is a reproductive work, derived from an original painting rather than an original composition of its time. Its colouring was applied by hand, a common practice for enhancing engraved portraits in the 19th century.
Subject & Meaning
Anne Oldfield was a celebrated stage performer in early 18th-century London, known for her roles in comedies and her influence on theatrical fashion. This print preserves her likeness as a cultural figure of the past, reflecting Victorian interest in historical theatre personalities. The image serves as a memorial rather than a contemporary portrait, emphasizing her legacy rather than her immediate presence.
Technique & Style
The print is an engraved portrait, hand-coloured with water-based pigments to simulate the richness of painted likenesses. Its style draws from 18th-century portraiture traditions, not Impressionism or Realism, which emerged later. The composition is formal, with attention to facial detail and costume, consistent with the conventions of theatrical portraiture of Oldfield’s era, not the 1875 publication date.
History & Provenance
The original portrait was painted by Jonathan Richardson the Elder around 1700. The 1875 print is a reproduction, likely made from an existing engraving or plate held in private or institutional collections. E. Dexter, a London publisher known for historical prints, issued it to meet growing public interest in theatrical heritage. The Victoria and Albert Museum holds similar prints from this series.
Context
In the late 19th century, there was a revival of interest in Britain’s theatrical past, spurred by historical societies and museum collections. Prints like this one were mass-produced to satisfy this curiosity, often based on older artworks. They served educational and nostalgic purposes, linking Victorian audiences to earlier cultural icons without direct artistic innovation.
Legacy
This print contributes to the preservation of Anne Oldfield’s image in public memory. Though not artistically groundbreaking, it reflects 19th-century practices in reproducing historical figures for wider audiences. Surviving examples in institutions like the V&A underscore its role as a documentary artifact, illustrating how cultural memory was visually sustained before photography became dominant.
Artist & collection
Artist
English portrait draftsman Richardson turned his eye on faces at the turn of the 1700s, leaving behind dozens of etched plates like the “H Beard Print Collection” prints—sharp, spare likenesses of men and women in lace and periwigs.
