Schnebbelie, Robert Bremmel. Exterior and interior views of the Royal Coburg Theatre

Folger bibliographic ID: 259060
Folger call number: ART Vol. b46
Folger holdings ID: 342312
Accession Number: cs361

General notes

Artist: Schnebbelie was a topographical draughtsman, the son of celebrated topographer J.C. Schnebbelie. Robert did illustrations for The gentleman's magazine and contributed to Wilikinson's Londina illustrata History: Both drawings were engraved and are found published in Robert Wilkinson's Londina illustrata ... London, 1819-1825. Two smaller watercolors, belonging to a private collection in England, are listed in the exhibition catalog for The Georgian Playhouse, an exhibition held at the Hayward Gallery, London, devised by Mackintosh and Ashton, items no. 336 & 337. The description of these two items match the FSL watercolors Provenance: Items are housed in an extra-illustrated copy of the Report from the Select Committee on Dramatic Literature ... 1832. Drawings have been inlaid between p.76 & 77 and p.82 & 83. The exterior drawing is folded. The volume was purchased by the Folgers from the Merwin-Clayton sale of the collection of George Becks, Nov. 15, 1905, item in 267. The catalog description does not mention that the volume has been extra-illustrated, however, the entries in the catalog are for the most part brief. The binding description in the catalog matches the binding on this volume. Book bears a signature on its flyleaf of M E Byne or Byrne which has not been identified Published Work: Wilkinson, Robert. Londina illustrata ... London, 1819-1825 Subject: According to the information written on the cornerstone, drawn beneath the exterior view, 'The first stone of the Royal Coburg Theatre was laid on 14th day of September in the year 1816'. The exterior drawing depicts the theater 'opposite Waterloo Bridge Road, Lambeth, as it appeared on the evening of its opening, WhitMonday May 11th, 1818'. The architect of the theater was Rudolph Cabanel of Aachen. It was renamed the Royal Victoria in 1833 and became known as the Old Vic. According to Mander & Mitchenson in A picture history of the British theatre, the scene depicted on stage is from Trial by battle the opening play The first drawing shows the exterior of the theater, with people lined up outside the door. There is square underneath the picture, representing the cornerstone, which gives information concerning the laying of the stone. Beneath that is a sketch of the floor plan and a map showing where the theater is located. The second drawing depicts the interior. A performance is in progress on the stage and the audience is shown chatting among themselves, several of them with their backs turned away from the performance. The exterior view is dated 1818. Full page of the exterior view with cornerstone and map measures 15 1/4 x 13 1/2 in This record contains unverified data from old cards and may contain incorrect or incomplete text. Please consult Curator for assistance

Extended title: Exterior and interior views of the Royal Coburg Theatre Robert Blemmel Schnebbelie

Barrymore, W. -1845. Trial by battle Old Vic Theatre (London, England) Theaters London (England)

artist: Schnebbelie, Robert Bremmel, -approximately 1849
depiction: Old Vic Theatre (London, England)
former owner: Becks, George, 1834-1904