Sarah Siddons with the Emblems of Tragedy
| Sarah Siddons with the Emblems of Tragedy | |
|---|---|
_-_Sarah_Siddons,_n%C3%A9e_Kemble_(%27Mrs_Siddons_with_the_Emblems_of_Tragedy%27)_-_NPG_5159_-_National_Portrait_Gallery.jpg) | |
| Artist | William Beechey |
| Year | 1793 |
| Type | Oil on canvas, portrait painting |
| Dimensions | 254.6 cm × 153.7 cm (100.2 in × 60.5 in) |
| Location | National Portrait Gallery, London |
Sarah Siddons with the Emblems of Tragedy is a 1793 portrait painting by the British artist William Beechey. It portrays Sarah Siddons, the leading stage actress of the era known for her roles in tragedy.[1] She is shown holding a mask and a dagger, two symbols of tragedy. The painting may allude to one of her best-known roles as Shakespeare's Lady Macbeth.[2]
Beechey displayed the work at the Royal Academy's Summer Exhibition of 1794.[3] Today the painting is part of the collection of the National Portrait Gallery in London, having been acquired in 1977[4] Beechey also produced a Portrait of John Philip Kemble in 1799 featuring her brother, now in the Dulwich Picture Gallery.
See also
[edit]- Sarah Siddons as the Tragic Muse, a 1784 painting by Joshua Reynolds
References
[edit]- ^ Laurence, Perry & Bellamy p.24-5
- ^ https://www.npg.org.uk/collections/search/portrait/mw05799
- ^ Bennett p.75-76
- ^ https://www.npg.org.uk/collections/search/portrait/mw05799
Bibliography
[edit]- Bennett, Shelley, Leonard, Mark & West, Shearer. A Passion for Performance: Sarah Siddons and her Portraitists. Getty Publications, 1999.
- Laurence, Anne, Perry, Gill & Bellamy, Joan. Women, Scholarship and Criticism C. 1790-1900. Manchester University Press, 2000.