Artwork
H Beard Print Collection
H Beard Print Collection is a print by the Romanticist artist Johan Joseph Zoffany. It dates from 1 and is held in the collection of the Victoria and Albert Museum. This 1768 black-and-white engraving, created by Johan Zoffany, depicts a scene from the opera *Love in a Village*, featuring actors Mr.
About this work
This print shows three actors in a scene from the opera *Love in a Village*.
This print shows three actors in a scene from the opera *Love in a Village*. Johan Zoffany made it in 1768 as a black-and-white engraving. It’s part of the Victoria and Albert Museum’s collection of theater prints.
The print captures Mr. Shuter, Mr. Beard and Mr. Dunstall posing as Justice Woodcock, Hawthorn and Hodge. It’s a snapshot of 18th-century stage life and Romantic-era taste.
Next time you’re in London, look up the Victoria and Albert Museum.
Overview
This 1768 black-and-white engraving, created by Johan Zoffany, depicts a scene from the opera *Love in a Village*, featuring actors Mr. Shuter, Mr. Beard, and Mr. Dunstall in character.
Subject & Meaning
The print showcases the actors as Justice Woodcock, Hawthorn, and Hodge, preserving a moment from 18th-century theatrical performance and reflecting Romantic-era aesthetic preferences.
Technique & Style
Executed as a black-and-white engraving, the work demonstrates Zoffany's skill in capturing stage dynamics through precise line work and tonal contrast.
History & Provenance
Part of the Victoria and Albert Museum's theater print collection in London, the engraving is a valued artifact of theatrical history.
Context
Created during the height of the Romantic era, the print not only documents a specific theatrical production but also speaks to the period's fascination with drama and performance.
Artist & collection
Artist
Dry, finely etched prints of 18th‑century London life fill Zoffany’s work. Look for the crisp outlines and cross‑hatched shadows in prints dated 1766, 1772, and 1776—these scenes capture tailors’ shops, book stalls in…
