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Full figure portrait, standing profile to left, holding a staff and wearing a hat with a feather. His nose is bulbous and warted. Colored in pastel blue, pink brown and yellow. The two items duplicate each other almost exactly and the artist identification and title are taken from information regarding the second item (ART Box H263 no.17). The ART Box item is labeled 'Mr. Bland' in ink in the bottom margin and 'actor and dramatist' in pencil on the verso. It was purchased with a group of portraits attributed, by the bookseller, to Harding
Subject: 'Mr. Bland' probably refers to George Bland, an 18th century actor, husband of Maria Theresa Bland. The 1st drawing is tipped into a volume containing Shakespeare's King Henry IV, pt. 1. Subject identification is taken from the position of the first item in the volume and the portrait's similarity to an engraving of another actor as Bardolph (see below)
History: The depiction of Mr. Bland is identical but for costuming, to an engraving by Kay which pictures John Henderson as Falstaff and Mr. Charteris as Bardolph (see ART File H496 no.12). Harding was known as a portrait copyist and it is quite likely that he copied the Bland portrait from the portrayal of Charteris as Bardolph found in the Kay engraving. The label identifiying Mr. Bland may have been added by a hand other than Harding's. Harding pictures the actor in an Elizabethan costume whereas Kay's costuming is decidedly 18th century. There is no portrait of George Bland as Bardolph listed in Harv. cat. Highfill suggests Kay eng. is taken from a provincial performance - see entry under Henderson, John
Provenance: The first item is inlaid after p.390 of the printed text in vol.9 of a 21 volume extra illustrated copy of the 1857 edition of Shakespeare, edited by Dyce and formerly owned by Robert Hoe. For complete provenance information see record for Harding, Silvester. Dr. Farmer. The second item was purchased by the Folgers, along with 21 other theatrical portraits attributed to Harding, from John Anderson, Jr. in Dec. of 1929
Also available as a digital reproduction
Also known as
Extended title: Mr. Bland, actor and dramatist (as Bardolph) [George Harding]
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