Home
/
G0120
Paintings: G0120
Title
Elizabeth Clendining
Technique
Oil on canvas
Subject
Character
Rosina : Rosina
Artist
Dimensions
Height: 74.9cm
Width: 61cm
height (frame): 85cm
width (frame): 72cm
Width: 61cm
height (frame): 85cm
width (frame): 72cm
Provenance
Thomas Harris; Harris sale, Robins 12 July 1819 (12); Presented in 1887 by Mrs Fitzgerald of Sharlestone Manor, Bucks, in memory of her son, Captain K. Fitzgerald, a member of the club
Other number
RW 370 (Mrs Jordan attr. to Romney)
CKA 370 (Mrs Jordan)
Gift 211
CKA 370 (Mrs Jordan)
Gift 211
Exhibition history
1982-83 London, R. A. "Royal Opera House Retrospective 1732-1982" (134)
Literature
"The Morning Herald" 23 April 1795; Theatre Arts Monthly, Volume 19 Issue 8 1935, reproduced, as Mrs Jordan; John Hayes, 'Thomas Harris, Gainsborough Dupont and the Theatrical Gallery at Belmont', The Connoisseur, 1968 (illus.)
The scene is Act I, scene 1: "A rural prospect: on the left side a little hill with trees at the top; a spring of water rushes from the side, and falls into a natural basin below: on the right side a cottage, at the door of which is a bench of stone. At a distance a chain of mountains. The manor-house in view: A field of corn fills up the scene." Clearly the production went to great lengths to create verisimilitude. Rosina is scolded by Rustic, the bad-tempered steward, who is struck by Rosina's beauty. Rustic says "keep back; wait till the reapers are off the field; do like the other reapers". Rosina replies timidly "If I have done wrong, Sir, I will put what I have gleaned down again," and drops the corn. In the 1820 Oxberry edition of the play, Rosina's costume is given as "Buff stay-bodice, white petticoat and apron, trimmed with buff and green." In Dupont's half-length portrait, she wears a yellow straw hat with blue ribbons, and a green bodice ribbed in yellow over a white chemise.
Mrs Clendining acted Rosina for the first time on 13 December 1792 at Covent Garden. Dupont's picture commemorates her in the role at Covent Garden on 19 March 1795.
Mrs Clendining acted Rosina for the first time on 13 December 1792 at Covent Garden. Dupont's picture commemorates her in the role at Covent Garden on 19 March 1795.
