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P1163
Prints: P1163
Title
Interesting interview between Mr Mathews and his Irish theatrical Barber
Subject
Artist
Date
1825
Dimensions
height: 12.5cm
width: 20.5cm
width: 20.5cm
Other materials
Etching
Provenance
Formerly in the collection of Professor Jim Davis, acquired by the Garrick Club in 2024
Other number
E0162
This print depicts a scene from an anecdote written by the journalist and sports writer Pierce Egan and published in 'Pierce Egan's Anecdotes of the Turf, The Chase, The Ring and The Stage', in 1827. The print depicts a drawing room, with a table laid for breakfast. One gentleman(Mr Mathews) is seated at the table wearing a brown coat, the other (Mr Incledon) stands with arms outstretched in a blue coat. The barber (Pat Curl) who has just walked in, stands, with his arms outstretched, he wears a brown coat and white apron. There is broken pottery at his feet.
Pierce Egan's anecdote recounts how in the early years of his theatrical career, Charles Mathews was in a small unamed town in Ireland, under the mangement of a Mr Daly, who had not paid his wages for several weeks. The company's barber, Mr Pat Curl, on seeing the starving stage of Mr Mathews, took pity on him and invited him to his humble home to have a meal. A friendship grew, and Mathews vowed never to forget the kindness shown to him by the Irish Barber. Once his fortunes had changed some seven years later, Mr Mathews was on tour in the same town, this time with Mr Incledon. He wanted to see Pat Curl again and ordered a special breakfast, and sent out some one to fetch the Barber under the pretence of having Mr Incledon's hair cut. When Pat Curl arrived, he was so shocked to see his old friend Mr Mathews that he dropped his shaving bowl, which smashed. It is this moment that the print depicts.
Pierce Egan's anecdote recounts how in the early years of his theatrical career, Charles Mathews was in a small unamed town in Ireland, under the mangement of a Mr Daly, who had not paid his wages for several weeks. The company's barber, Mr Pat Curl, on seeing the starving stage of Mr Mathews, took pity on him and invited him to his humble home to have a meal. A friendship grew, and Mathews vowed never to forget the kindness shown to him by the Irish Barber. Once his fortunes had changed some seven years later, Mr Mathews was on tour in the same town, this time with Mr Incledon. He wanted to see Pat Curl again and ordered a special breakfast, and sent out some one to fetch the Barber under the pretence of having Mr Incledon's hair cut. When Pat Curl arrived, he was so shocked to see his old friend Mr Mathews that he dropped his shaving bowl, which smashed. It is this moment that the print depicts.
