Mrs. Charles Kean as Viola in Twelfth night [graphic] / [Victor Moblard].

[late 19th cent.]

1 item in 1 vol. : watercolor ; 17 x 12 in.

paper

Artist: Identification of artist is drawn from the work's similarity to portraits of Shylock found in the Daly extra-illustrated edition of Merchant of Venice (ART Vol. b26). The Shylock portraits are either signed or initialed and though this portrait is not, the writing on the label at the bottom of the watercolor matches that of the writing on the Shylock portraits, particularly in the formulation of the V and the A. Since both volumes share a similar provenance it is probable that the artist is the same.

Full figure, standing to front, face to left profile, hands in front holding hat. Title is taken from the writing at bottom of painting. Unsigned.

History: Painting is possibly after a print which is listed in Harv. cat. of eng. dram ports. as no.34 under Ellen Tree and is described as a cutting from Gleason's Pictorial, 1853. No artist or engraver is given.

No biographical information has been located on Moblard. The user is referred to entries under Toedteberg, Augustus for additional works from the Toedteberg shop.

Provenance: Item is contained in an extra-illustrated volume of the Daly edition of Twelfth night, as arranged for production at Daly's Theatre, Feb. 21, 1893. The volume was purchased by the Folgers from the auction of the Augustin Daly collection held through the American Art Galleries in 1900. According to the sales catalog, item no.735, the book was inlaid to folio by Augustus Toedteberg and contains watercolor portraits, the portraits being copies of rare prints.

The art collection of the Folger Library includes many volumes of extra-illustrated books, several of which formerly belonged to the library of the theatrical manager Augustin Daly. Many of Daly's 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 volumes which Toedteberg grangerized 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 hs 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.

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

United States.

ART Vol. b33 no.135