[Edmund Keane as King Lear] [graphic] / [Augustus Toedteberg].

[Edmund Keane as King Lear] [graphic] / [Augustus Toedteberg].

[late 19th cent.]

1 drawing : watercolor ; 9 1/4 x 7 3/8 in.

paper

Title devised by cataloger.

All the works by Toedteberg that Folger owns are theatrical portraits copied after rare prints. They are either contained in volumes which were grangerized by Toedteberg or are individual items which were purchased from the sale of Toedteberg's collection. Some of the pieces are signed by him but most are unsigned. All of them, however, at one time passed through his hands and many may have been the work of his pen. They have been grouped together in this file for that reason.

Artist: Portrait was copied by Toedteberg from a print by an unknown artist.

Full figure portrait, standing to front, facing left, wearing a red robe with ermine cuffs and hem. Right hand is raised and held on head, left hand grasps lapel. Verso has penciled numbers relating to provenance. Item is not labeled, title taken from provenance and print. Unsigned.

History: The print from which this portrait is copied is listed in Harv. cat. as no. 68 under Kean's entry, noted as a vignette. The FSL copy of this engraving is ART File K24.4 no.31. At the top of the print is the heading 'Hodgeson's Theatrical Portraits, no. 56' and the imprint notes the engraving as published London by Hodgeson, 1822. The intials W. H. appear on the plate and Harv. has noted these as belonging to the engraver. Harvard also notes that the engraving was issued in 2 states, penny plain and 2p colored. FSL copy is colored.

Provenance: Item was purchased by the Folgers, through George D. Smith, from the auction of the Toedteberg collection, held by the Anderson Auction Co. Item is noted in pt. 2 of the sale, cat no. 272, held Feb. 1904, as item no.2112. No artist is given. Item was formerly cataloged as anonymous with the call no. ART Box K24.4 no.1.

Subject: Hillebrand's biography of Kean notes him first taking up the role of Lear in April of 1820 at Drury Lane. His Lear was given for 26 consecutive performances and twice again during the same season.

The art collection of the Folger Shakespeare Library includes many volumes of extra illustrated books, several of which formerly belonged to the library of the theatrical manager Augustin Daly. Many of these extra-illustrated volumes were inlaid and organized by Augustus Toedteberg, a professional inlayer and repairer of prints who resided in Brooklyn, N.Y. in the 1870's to 1890's.

The known facts concerning Toedteberg are few. He was the grangerizer of the Daly copy of Joseph Norton Ireland's Records of the New York stage (a work extended by him from 2 to 33 volumes) and of Daly's souvenir books of his Shakespearean productions (many of which are now in the Folger collection). Toedteberg also published a work, in 1893, entitled Portraits of actors reproduced from rare originals for Augustus Toedteberg. The Folger Library has a few letters in its ms. collection addressed from Toedteberg to Augustin Daly concerning Toedteberg's grangerizing work. His theatrical collection, which consisted of numerous books, prints, drawings, autographs and playbills, was sold at auction by the Anderson Co., New York, 1903-1904.

The volumes which Toedteberg grangerized also contain a number of watercolor portraits, copied after rare prints, which are signed by a Victor Moblard who may have been under the employ of Toedteberg. Moblard's style of painting and writing is rather distinct and even where he has not signed his name it is easy to spot his work, In cases where his signature or initials appear, or where the style gives evidence of his work, the item has been entered under his name. In all cases, where known, a subject entry has been given for the original artist of the print from which Moblard was copying. No biographical information has been located on Moblard. The user is referred to records under Moblard, Victor, for additional works from the Toedteberg shop.

Toedteberg's collection of theatrical prints was extensive and it is assumed that he drew on this collection as a resource for his grangerizing endeavors. It appears that he was in the habit of copying, in ink or watercolor, rare prints, or having rare prints copied by others, perhaps when he was able to obtain only one copy of the original print.

This record contains unverified data from old cards and may contain incorrect or incomplete text. Please consult Curator for assistance.

United States.

ART Box T653 no.4 (size S)

cs251