Portrait of Mrs. Pritchard [graphic] / [Augustus Toedteberg].

[late 19th cent.]

1 item in 1 vol. : ink drawing with ink wash ; 7 1/4 x 6 1/4 in.

paper

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.

History: The Catalogue of pictures in the Garrick Club lists a painting of Mrs. Pritchard by Francis Hayman as #118 and describes it as: whole-length, seated, to right, head to left, holding a closed book on knee with her right hand; brown hair, white bonnet, voluminous white dress with brown fur edge round neck; half sleeves with broad lace edges; grey interior background; a bust of Shakespeare on a stone bracket on right. Painting is on a 27 1/2 x 20 1/4 canvas. The work was engraved (1/2 length only) in mezzotint in 1762 by J. McArdell. The engraving is described in Harvard cat of dram. ports. as #1 under the heading for Mrs. Pritchard. This drawing seems to be the same design as the engraving and was probably copied from it to extra-illustrate the volume it is housed in. Folger copy of the engraving is ART File P961.3 no.1.

Mrs. Pritchard is seated, holding a book upright on her lap, wearing a cap and looking off to the left. The drawing is unsigned.

Provenance: Work is contained in an extra-illustrated volume of the Daly edition of As you like it. For volume provenance see entry under Toedteberg for Mrs. Abington as Rosalind.

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.

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

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.

United States.

ART Vol. b23 no.18

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