Who painted H Beard Print Collection?

H Beard Print Collection was painted by Unknown in 1817.

Where can I see H Beard Print Collection?

H Beard Print Collection is held by Victoria and Albert Museum.

What movement is H Beard Print Collection?

H Beard Print Collection is associated with Romanticism.

Artwork

H Beard Print Collection

Unknown , 1817

H Beard Print Collection is a print by the Romanticist artist Unknown. It dates from 1817 and is held in the collection of the Victoria and Albert Museum.

About this work

Overview

The volume is a printed souvenir assembled to mark the farewell dinner held for the actor John Philip Kemble upon his retirement from the stage. It gathers a series of printed items that together document the occasion, including a ticket replica, a portrait, medal designs, and a facsimile of a personal letter.

Subject & Meaning

The central figure of the collection is John Philip Kemble, a leading British tragedian of the late 18th and early 19th centuries. The prints celebrate his departure from public performance, offering visual and textual tributes that reflect the esteem in which he was held by contemporaries and the ceremonial nature of the event.

Technique & Style

Each element is rendered as a separate print, employing typical early‑19th‑century engraving and lithographic methods. The portrait presents a conventional, finely detailed likeness, while the medal designs are executed with crisp line work suitable for metal casting. The ticket and letter facsimiles reproduce typographic and handwritten features with fidelity.

History & Provenance

Compiled shortly after Kemble’s retirement, the souvenir book was likely produced by a London print workshop for distribution among friends and patrons. The set has survived as a rare example of theatrical memorabilia, now catalogued within the print collection of the Victoria and Albert Museum.

Context

Farewell dinners were a customary way to honor retiring actors in the Georgian and Regency periods, often accompanied by commemorative objects such as medals and printed programs. Kemble’s retirement in 1820 marked the end of a career that had shaped the London stage, and the printed collection reflects the period’s penchant for visual documentation of cultural milestones.