Artwork
Miss H. Cawse in the character of Phillipa in The Bottle Imp
Miss H. Cawse in the character of Phillipa in The Bottle Imp is a drawing by the Romanticist artist Unknown. It dates from 1828 and is held in the collection of the Victoria and Albert Museum. The work is a pen-and-ink drawing portraying the actress Miss H.
About this work
Overview
The work is a pen-and-ink drawing portraying the actress Miss H. Cawse in costume as Phillipa, a role from the stage production of *The Bottle Imp*. Rendered in a single sheet, the image captures the performer in full theatrical attire, offering a visual record of a specific 19th‑century theatrical presentation.
Subject & Meaning
Phillipa, a character drawn from the narrative source of *The Bottle Imp*, is depicted with the expressive facial features and elaborate dress that would have signaled her role to contemporary audiences. The portrait functions both as a likeness of the actress and as a visual aid for understanding costume conventions of the play.
Technique & Style
Executed with fine cross‑hatching and line work, the drawing emphasizes texture in the fabric and the contours of the figure. The artist employs varied density of strokes to suggest shadows and material richness, a common method in theatrical portraiture intended to convey detail without colour.
Context
The image belongs to a period when stage actors were frequently commemorated through printed drawings, serving both promotional and documentary purposes. Such depictions help scholars reconstruct the visual culture of Victorian theatre, illustrating how costuming and characterisation were communicated to the public.
Artist & collection
Domestic Scene
Giacomo and Cardinal Marco, investing Andrea, Abbot of San Zeno, with his Benefice
The Nymph of Fontainebleau
Portrait of a Woman
Madonna and Child with Saints in the Enclosed Garden
Venus and Minerva
Family Group of Four on Sofa
Wall painting from Room H of the Villa of P. Fannius Synistor at Boscoreale
