Artwork
H Beard Print Collection
H Beard Print Collection is a print by the Romanticist artist Martin Archer Shee. It dates from 17 and is held in the collection of the Victoria and Albert Museum. The work is a printed portrait depicting the actor William Thomas Lewis in costume as the Marquis from the play *The Midnight Hour*.
About this work
This print shows a portrait of an actor, William Thomas Lewis, playing a stage role. It was made in 1792 by Sir Martin Archer Shee, a British artist. The image belongs to the Romanticism movement.
The print was published in London by J. Jones, a specific detail that points to the print trade of the time.
Look up the Victoria and Albert Museum to see more prints from this era.
Overview
The work is a printed portrait depicting the actor William Thomas Lewis in costume as the Marquis from the play *The Midnight Hour*. Executed in 1792, the image was produced by the British painter Sir Martin Archer Shee and distributed through the London publisher J. Jones.
Subject & Meaning
Lewis is shown in theatrical attire, emphasizing his role on the stage rather than a conventional likeness. The portrait captures the performative identity of the actor, reflecting the late‑eighteenth‑century fascination with theatre and celebrity.
Technique & Style
Created as a print, the image employs line work and shading characteristic of the Romantic period’s interest in dramatic expression. Shee’s handling of light and texture conveys a sense of immediacy and emotional intensity typical of Romantic portraiture.
History & Provenance
The print was issued in London by the commercial printer J. Jones, a notable figure in the city’s print trade of the 1790s. Its circulation would have reached both theatrical audiences and collectors of contemporary portraiture.
Context
During the 1790s, theatrical portrait prints served as a popular means of disseminating images of celebrated actors. This work aligns with a broader trend of celebrating performance art within the visual culture of Romantic Britain.
Artist & collection
Artist
Sir Martin Archer Shee (23 December 1769 – 13 August 1850) was an Irish painter and writer.
