A Life Size Lead Statue of William Shakespeare.
by John Cheere.
In the Foyer of the Theatre Royal, Drury Lane, Covent Garden.
A mirror image of the statue on the monument by Scheemakers in Westminster Abbey.
Some authors suggest that it was commissioned for the Theatre Royal by David Garrick - but given the nature of lead sculpture this would seem unlikely, unless it had been moved prior to the fire in 1809.
British History Online states that it was presented to the Theatre by the brewer Samuel Whitbread (1764 - 1815) in 1809 and placed on the portico some time after 1820 which seems much more plausible, Whitbread purchased 20 statues from the second sale of the works of John Cheere for his garden at Southill Park in Bedfordshire for £975. 15 shillings.
This version appears to be a later cast of that commissioned for the Shakespeare Jubilee at Stratford upon Avon in 1769 by David Garrick and now in the façade of the town hall (see my previous post).
Shakespeare Stratford upon Avon Town Hall.
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The Theatre Royal Lead Statue of Shakespeare.
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The Theatre Royal Drury Lane (illustrations).
Anyone familiar with this blog will recognise that one of its primary purposes is to provide visual information on its subject which is loosely that of 18th century portrait sculpture and its setting. the development of the internet allows someone like me to access all sorts of information, which in the past would require visits to many libraries and archives to obtain this information and then to obtain permissions to publish the results of my researches.
I am posting these pictures here in order to give some idea of the history and setting of the lead sculpture of William Shakespeare by John Cheere.
There are is a very good website set up by Arthur Lloyd - which I recommend to anyone interested in the history of the theatre theatre - http://www.arthurlloyd.co.uk/DruryLane.htm
and British History Online - http://www.british-history.ac.uk/survey-london/vol35/pp9-29
Both of which are very good in their own ways but as neither give a visual overview of the history of the Theatre Royal and as no one else has done it I am attempting to rectify this.
It doesn't pretend to be comprehensive and has been created purely for my own interest and pleasure.
Preparatory Sketch by Benjamin Dean Wyatt (1755 - 1852).
For the engraving below.
Pen Pencil Sepia Ink and Water Colour.
19.3 x 29.8
Victoria and Albert Museum.
Section through the Theatre Royal, Drury Lane.
Above - Section through the Grand Staircases and
Rotunda of the Fourth Theatre Royal Drury Lane by Benjamin Wyatt
(Architect) - From 'Illustrations of the public buildings of London, Volume 1'
by J. Britton and A. Pugin,1825. Key:-
a. a. Principal Flights of Steps. b. b. Entrances to Dress Circle. c. c. Ditto,
First Circle. d. d. Ditto, Second Circle. e. Rotunda, lower story. f. Ditto,
upper story. g. Stone Gallery-floor. h. Iron cradling supporting the upper
flights.
This engraving shows the statue of Shakespeare as the Scheemakers monument and not as the mirror image lead version currently in the foyer and illustrated here!
The Theatre Royal Front before the addition of the portico from the same publication.
These images lifted from the truly excellent website of Arthur Lloyd.
For an in overview of the developments at this Theatre and many others.
For a really in depth study of the history and architecture of this theatre see -
Cross section of the Rotunda and Main Staircase.
Showing the Statue of Shakespeare in its original position.
Drawing after 1812.
233 x 325.
Winston Collection.
Victoria and Albert Museum.
Section Theatre Royal, Drury Lane.
Clearly showing the statue of Shakespeare.
undated pen and wash drawing attributed to Benjamin Wyatt
193 x 298 mm.
Winston Collection
Victoria and Albert Museum
This Plan Lifted from -
Ground Plan of the Theatre Royal Drury Lane 1820's.
Drawing Attributed to James Winston.
364 x 490 mm.
Although Mr. Samuel Beazley Jr. was the architect for the
proposed alterations to the Theatre Royal Drury Lane in the 1820's, this
collection indicates that Mr James Winston (born c.1773) played an active role
in the proposal alterations. It is unclear in certain items if he actually drew
them himself or copied from original ones and added some notes. Appointed as
Acting Manager of Drury Lane in 1819 Winston continued to be involved with the
theatre until c.1827 and kept unpublished diaries of his time there.
Winston Collection.
This Image from the Victoria and Albert Museum.
Winston's Plan derived from Wyatts Model of the Theatre Royal Drury Lane.
Paper Watermarked, 1817.
515 x 385 mm.
Winston Collection.
Victoria and Albert Museum.
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Theatre Royal Drury Lane Henry Holland -
Showing Russell Street Frontage.
Unfinished Drawing.
213 x 276 mm.
From the Winston Collection.
Victoria and Albert Museum.
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Theatre Royal Drury Lane -
Showing Bridges Street Frontage.
c. 1820.
388 x 523 mm.
From the Winston Collection.
Victoria and Albert Museum.
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Theatre Royal Drury Lane.
showing the phases of building from 1748.
From the Winston Collection.
Paper watermarked 1829.
Victoria and Albert Museum.
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Engraving of the Bridges Street Front of the Theatre Royal Drury Lane, 1812.
Frederick Wilton Lichfield Stockdale.
175 x 242 mm.
British Museum.
Front of the Bridges Street Front of the Theatre Royal Drury Lane.
Whittle and Laurie,1812.
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Bridges Street Front of The Theatre Royal Drury Lane in 1814.
Published with the interior of 1792.
Engravings Capon above, Whichelo below.
320 x 248 mm.
British Museum.
Bridges Street Front of the New Drury Lane Theatre.
Engraving by Busby after Whichelo, 1 September 1813 for The Beauties of England and Wales.
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Aquatint of The Bridges Street Front of the Theatre Royal, Drury Lane.
from Brayley's Theatre of London, 1826.
140 x 188mm.
British Museum.
Theatre Royal Drury Lane.
by Thomas Hosmer Shepherd.
3.5 x 5.75 inches.
Published as an engraving -engraved by Thomas Dale and published in James Elmes Metropolitan Improvements, 1827 - 31.
This appears to show the lead statue of Shakespeare (mirror image of the Scheemakers Monument) on the portico.
Another engraving of a similar view from Leigh's New Picture of London of 1828.
Again showing the mirror image lead statue on the portico.
There
have been four Theatres built on the site of the present Theatre Royal Drury
Lane. The first was built by the dramatist Thomas Killigrew under charter from Charles II, and opened with a
production of 'The Humorous Lieutenant' on the 7th of May 1663.
This first
Theatre was very successful but was destroyed by fire in 1672.
The
second Theatre, built on the site of the first, is thought to have been built
by the architect Sir Christopher Wren and opened in 1674.
This is the Theatre
which David Garrick ran with great success for 30 years from 1747. Garrick was
followed by Richard Brinsley Sheridan, with such notable Thespians as Sarah
Siddons and John Philip Kemble taking the stage. This second Theatre was
demolished in 1791. The Third Theatre Royal, Drury Lane, was constructed between 1791 and 1794 by Henry Holland and was billed as a
"Fireproof Theatre," but burnt down only 16 years later in 1809. The Forth and present Theatre was
designed by Benjamin Wyatt and built largely under the influence (pun intended) of Samuel Whitbread the Brewer and opened with a production of Hamlet on 10 October 1812.
The Portico was added in 1820 and the Russell Street Colonnade on the North side was built in 1831.
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The Second Theatre Royal Drury Lane
Bridges Street Front added by Robert Adam for David Garrick in 1773.
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The Third Theatre Royal, Drury Lane.
Plan of the Theatre Royal Drury Lane, 1800.
Engraving by W. Thomas after F. Trecourt.
351 x 248 mm.
British Museum.
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View from the South East, 1809.
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Engraving of Holland's Theatre Royal, Drury Lane.
The Russell Street Front.
Prior to the fire of 1809.
Theatre Royal from the North East prior to its destruction by fire 24 February, 1809.
Drawn by W Capon.
Engraved William Wise.
Published 1811.
333 x 259 mm.
Victoria and Albert Museum.
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Theatre Royal from the North East prior to its destruction by fire 24 February, 1809.
Original Drawing by W Capon.
Published 1811.
148 x 233 mm.
Victoria and Albert Museum.
Auditorium, Theatre Royal, Drury Lane, 1813.
Published by La Belle Assemblee.
Lithograph.
228 x268 mm.
Victoria and Albert Museum.
View of the corner of Drury Lane and Russell St, 1813.
Showing the North Elevation of the Theatre Royal and shops and tenements.
237 x 333 mm.
From the Winston Collection.
Victoria and Albert Museum.
View of the corner of Drury Lane and Russell St, 1813.
Showing the North Elevation of the Theatre Royal and shops and tenements.
237 x 333 mm.
by William Capon.
From the Winston Collection.
Victoria and Albert Museum.
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Theatre Royal Drury Lane.
Plan of 1816.
Paper watermarked 1817.
442 x 344 mm.
From the Winston Collection.
Victoria and Albert Museum.
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Plan of Theatre Royal Drury Lane, 1778.
Lifted from -
Plan of the Theatre Royal Drury Lane, 1748.
again lifted from -
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The destruction by Fire of the Third Theatre Royal Drury Lane in 1809.
View of the East end after the fire.
Engraving by Wise after Whichelo. Published - 7 August 1811.
View of the 1809 Fire of the Theatre Royal from Westminster Bridge.
Anonymous.
Museum of London.
......
Drawing of the Ruins of Holland's Theatre Royal, Drury Lane.
showing the aftermath of the fire of 1809.
197 x 248 mm.
From the Winston Collection.
Victoria and Albert Museum.
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Just to muddy the water - from the Gentleman's Magazine, October 1812.
Gentleman's Magazine October, 1812.
This article mentions a cast of Roubiliac's Statue of Shakespeare in the Garden Temple at David Garrick's villa at Hampton.
I believe the reporter was in error here and hadn't checked his facts - there had been a cast of Roubiliac's Shakespeare at the Theatre Royal but it was probably destroyed in the disastrous fire of 1809.
The statue referred to is that illustrated in the Wyatt drawing and engraving illustrated above which was the lead cast presented to the Theatre by Samuel Whitbread in late 1809.
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This early photograph shows the statue of Shakespeare on the portico.
Another 20th century photograph clearly showing the statue of Shakespeare on the portico of the Theatre Royal.
Rose Marie debuted at the Theatre Royal 20 March 1925.
Photo Harry Bedford Lemere.
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Cast of the Roubiliac / Garrick statue of Shakespeare.
by Domenico Brucciani.
To the best of my knowledge the next mention of a cast of the Roubiliac Shakespeare is in 1853,
when a cast was purchased for the Crystal Palace from Brucciani.
Undated photograph of the Brucciani Shakespeare.
Crystal Palace Sydenham.
Photograph of the Brucciani cast of the statue of Shakespeare by Roubiliac.
in the South East Transept of the Crystal Palace at Sydenham.
Albumen Print by Phillip Henry Delamotte c.1859.
Victoria and Albert Museum.
Page from the 1853 inventory of purchases of casts for the Crystal Palace.
by Owen Jones and Digby Wyatt showing the statue of Shakespeare after Roubiliac, a bust of Shakespeare after Roubiliac, a bust of Pope and a small statuette of Shakespeare after the Scheemakers monument in Westminster Abbey.
For an excellent in depth article on the Crystal Palace Plaster Casts see Sculpture Journal Vol 15.2 page 173 - Plaster Casts of the Crystal Palace Sydenham by John Kenworthy Browne.
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Theatre Ticket for the Theatre Royal, Drury Lane with a portrait of William Shakespeare.
After George Vertue.
Silver.
Size 1.68 inches?
1730
British Museum.
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William Shakespeare by Peter Scheemakers.
Portland Stone.
Wilton House.
see -
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It perhaps should be mentioned that there was at one time a massive statue of Apollo on the roof of Henry Holland's Theatre.
"The outside of the Building, which surrounds the Theatre,
is faced with Portland stone, and will be finished with a ballustrade. The
Theatre which rises above is intended to be faced with stone, or a cement equal
to it, and is also finished with a balustrade. Through the Roof rises a Turret,
including a large Ventilator and a Staircase leading on to the Roof. The Turret
takes something of the form of the Octagon Tower of Andronicus Cyrrhestes
[i.e., Tower of the Winds] at Athens, and is nearly as large, and on the summit
is placed a figure of Apollo, about 10 feet high. From the Terrace on the Roof
is by far the finest bird's eye view of London and the River Thames that can be
seen from any other place".
Rupert Gunnis suggests Ann Seymour Damer as the sculptor.
