Extra illustrations to Daly's Woffington [graphic] / [Alfred Thompson].

1891.

1 vol. : watercolor.

paper

117 p. out of the 182 p. book are colored by Thompson with drawings to illustrate the text. Thompson's work is done directly on the printed page. The title page is signed and dated 1891.

Artist: Thompson was a dramatic author and designer who worked in both London and New York. He designed costumes for Irving and Daly and wrote several little known dramatic works. He is also known to have directed productions of Comedy of errors and Romeo and Juliet at New York's Union Square Theatre. Thompson added a title page to this work which reads as follows: 'This copy of Augustin Daly's Woffington is the only copy ext. illustrated by Alfred Thompson Member of Dramatic Authors' Societies of London and Paris July 1891. Commenced June 30th finished Aug. 1st 1891 A.T.'.

History: The printed work was published privately in 1888. According to the dedication, Thompson was unaquainted with Daly at the time the illustrations were undertaken. The Folger does, however possess correspondence from Thompson to Daly dated [1884?]-1889 which implies a more close acquaintance. It is assumed that Daly commissioned Thompson to extra-illustrate this work.

Provenance: The book was at one time in the library of Augustin Daly and is listed in the catalog of the sale of his library in 1900 as item no. 727. The book apparently passed into the hands of Thomas Upham Coe, whose bookplate it bears and was purchased by the Folgers from an Anderson Gallery sale on Jan. 18, 1922.

Subject: A bookseller's catalog describes the illustrations as 'being in the opèra bouffe style, punning the text in many instances, and looking behind the scenes whenever opportunity offered'. Thus the subject matter is often exaggerated and caricatured. Many actors and actresses are featured, among them are John Drew, James Lewis, Lester Wallack, Charles Matthews, Henry Irving, Mr. Quin as Scrib, Lillie Langtry, Mr. Barry as Hotspur, Mrs. Clive as Ariel and as Desdemona, George Anne Bellamy, Ellen Terry, Macklin as Shylock, David Garrick (pictured several times), Nell Gwynn, Ada Rehan, and of course numerous portrayals of Peg Woffington. There is one amusing caricature which portrays the heads of Clive and Woffington on the bodies of two cats.

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

Great Britain -- England.