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G0778
Paintings: G0778
Title
Fanny Stirling
Technique
Oil on canvas
Subject
Character
Peg Woffington : Masks and Faces; or Before and Behind the Curtain
Artist
Dimensions
Height: 74.9cm
Width: 62.2cm
height (frame): 95cm
width (frame): 82cm
Width: 62.2cm
height (frame): 95cm
width (frame): 82cm
Other materials
In oval
Provenance
Presented by Henry Wyndham Phillips (the artist), 1857
Other number
RW/CKA 96
Gift 148
Gift 148
Related works
Royal Shakespeare Theatre Picture Gallery 85 (1961 catalogue), oil on canvas 73.7 x 57.2 oval, unfinished; presented by the sitter, 1894
Fanny Stirling, as Peg Woffington, wears a broad-brimmed red hat trimmed with lace, and a red dress, with a green shawl.
Reade and Taylor's comedy was first performed at the Haymarket on 20 November 1852, with Fanny Stirling as Peg. The following year Reade published his novel “Peg Woffington”, based on the play.
In the Club's 1909 catalogue, Roberts Walters stated that the original of this portrait was painted for Tom Taylor, and was later in Mrs Stirling's possession, however that is the version now at Stratford. The sittings, according to Walters, were given after the performances, late at night, in Phillips's studio.
This picture is in fact the one used during representation at the Haymarket Theatre and is in fact a stage prop. The artist and poet Triplet, played by Benjamin Webster, is painting Woffington's portrait from memory, but in Act 2 she agrees to sit for him:
Triplet (sadly): I suppose you can't sit quiet, madam; then never mind. Look on this picture and on that!
Woffington: Meaning, that I am painted as well as my picture.
Triplet: Oh, no, no, no! but to turn from your face, on which the lighting of expression plays continually, to this stony, detestable dead daub: I could – (seizes palette-knife) miserable mockery! vile caricature of life and beauty! Take that! (Dashes the knife through picture.)
Woffington: Oh! right through my pet dimple! Hark! I hear the sound of coaches – the hour of critique approaches!
Triplet: Two coach loads of criticism, and the picture ruined!
Woffington (reflecting): I’ll give you a lesson – your palette knife. (cuts away face from picture.)
Triplet: There will be Mr. Cibber with his sneering snuff-box; Mr Quin with his humorous bludgeon; Mrs Clive with her tongue; Mr Snarl with his abuse; and Mr Soaper with his praise! – but I deserve it all!
Woffington: That green baize – (gets behind easel) fling it over the easel – so; and now (showing her face through the picture) you shall criticise criticism, and learn the true weight of goose’s feathers.
Triplet covers the painting as the others arrive and immediately demand to see the picture. On its uncovering they immediately lay into a barrage of criticism such as Kitty Clive’s “He! He! Peg Woffington’s – it’s a pretty head enough, and not a bit like Woffington.” They are allowed to go on like this for some minutes before Peg steps out from the picture to reveal the trick.
When the artist presented the picture to the Garrick Club, he sent a letter to the Committee which was read out on 21st March 1857, in which he explained:
“Allow me to offer a sketch of Mrs Stirling as Peg Woffington to the Garrick Club. It was the original painted for the play of Masks and Faces by Mr Tom Taylor. The action and dress were taken from the portrait of Peg Woffington by Hogarth.
It is with considerable diffidence that I mention to offer it, as it is so slight a work, but Mr [David] Roberts and one or two other artists whom I have consulted thought that it would be better to leave it in the condition in which it was originally painted for the stage.”
It has been restored heavily at some later date.
Henry Wyndham Phillips became a member of the Garrick Club in 1855 [although his name is miss-spelt in the List of Members.]
Henry O'Neil includes G0778 among the paintings hanging in the Morning Room in his group portrait, G0793.
Reade and Taylor's comedy was first performed at the Haymarket on 20 November 1852, with Fanny Stirling as Peg. The following year Reade published his novel “Peg Woffington”, based on the play.
In the Club's 1909 catalogue, Roberts Walters stated that the original of this portrait was painted for Tom Taylor, and was later in Mrs Stirling's possession, however that is the version now at Stratford. The sittings, according to Walters, were given after the performances, late at night, in Phillips's studio.
This picture is in fact the one used during representation at the Haymarket Theatre and is in fact a stage prop. The artist and poet Triplet, played by Benjamin Webster, is painting Woffington's portrait from memory, but in Act 2 she agrees to sit for him:
Triplet (sadly): I suppose you can't sit quiet, madam; then never mind. Look on this picture and on that!
Woffington: Meaning, that I am painted as well as my picture.
Triplet: Oh, no, no, no! but to turn from your face, on which the lighting of expression plays continually, to this stony, detestable dead daub: I could – (seizes palette-knife) miserable mockery! vile caricature of life and beauty! Take that! (Dashes the knife through picture.)
Woffington: Oh! right through my pet dimple! Hark! I hear the sound of coaches – the hour of critique approaches!
Triplet: Two coach loads of criticism, and the picture ruined!
Woffington (reflecting): I’ll give you a lesson – your palette knife. (cuts away face from picture.)
Triplet: There will be Mr. Cibber with his sneering snuff-box; Mr Quin with his humorous bludgeon; Mrs Clive with her tongue; Mr Snarl with his abuse; and Mr Soaper with his praise! – but I deserve it all!
Woffington: That green baize – (gets behind easel) fling it over the easel – so; and now (showing her face through the picture) you shall criticise criticism, and learn the true weight of goose’s feathers.
Triplet covers the painting as the others arrive and immediately demand to see the picture. On its uncovering they immediately lay into a barrage of criticism such as Kitty Clive’s “He! He! Peg Woffington’s – it’s a pretty head enough, and not a bit like Woffington.” They are allowed to go on like this for some minutes before Peg steps out from the picture to reveal the trick.
When the artist presented the picture to the Garrick Club, he sent a letter to the Committee which was read out on 21st March 1857, in which he explained:
“Allow me to offer a sketch of Mrs Stirling as Peg Woffington to the Garrick Club. It was the original painted for the play of Masks and Faces by Mr Tom Taylor. The action and dress were taken from the portrait of Peg Woffington by Hogarth.
It is with considerable diffidence that I mention to offer it, as it is so slight a work, but Mr [David] Roberts and one or two other artists whom I have consulted thought that it would be better to leave it in the condition in which it was originally painted for the stage.”
It has been restored heavily at some later date.
Henry Wyndham Phillips became a member of the Garrick Club in 1855 [although his name is miss-spelt in the List of Members.]
Henry O'Neil includes G0778 among the paintings hanging in the Morning Room in his group portrait, G0793.
