Possible subject or sitters, and artist sought
Formerly identified as a portrait of Samuel Foote, David Garrick and Eva Maria Veigel, artist unknown (detail)
A network member is seeking assistance in identifying the sitters in this group portrait or the subject matter, and ideas as to artist.
“I am researching a portrait which was originally thought to represent Samuel Foote with David Garrick and his wife Eva Maria Veigel, but this identification has now been disproved.
There is evidence of the men acting together on one occasion only, in Samuel Foote’s play, ‘Taste’, in 1752. David Garrick played the Auctioneer and Samuel Foote played Mrs Pentweazel, so it’s unlikely this can be a scene from that play. Eva Maria is unlikely to have returned to the stage after her marriage to Garrick. The bare chest of the women, the curtain (held aloft by the central figure) implying the men have discovered the lady asleep deshabillé – suggests a moral, a classical or biblical story perhaps in modern dress.
I was wondering if anyone else had any thoughts as to who this group portrait represents and by which artist. Any help or suggestions would be welcome.”
Please use the ‘Comments’ section below to record your responses to this query.
Formerly identified as a portrait of Samuel Foote, David Garrick and Eva Maria Veigel, artist unknown.
Formerly identified as a portrait of Samuel Foote, David Garrick and Eva Maria Veigel, artist unknown (detail)
Formerly identified as a portrait of Samuel Foote, David Garrick and Eva Maria Veigel, artist unknown (detail)
Formerly identified as a portrait of Samuel Foote, David Garrick and Eva Maria Veigel, artist unknown (detail)
Formerly identified as a portrait of Samuel Foote, David Garrick and Eva Maria Veigel, artist unknown (framed)
Comments
The key to this seems to be the female figure; she seems to be asleep, does the book open at a page of music (difficult to see in the reproduction). Two possibilities occur to me as she is in dishabille: she may be muse and the picture is allegorical, or more likely a stage performer and singer, caught in an unguarded moment. The male figures seem to be recognisable, but some searching in a portrait archive would be needed; is the figure on the left Boswell?
I wonder whether this might be a scene from William Shakespeare’s Cymbeline? Possibly scene 2, Iachimo who has hidden himself in Imogen’s bedchamber, catching her asleep and in a state of undress. He steals a bracelet given to her by Posthumous, and notices a mole on her exposed breast, these he uses as evidence that Imogen has cheated on Posthumous. David Garrick does seem to have played Posthumous, in 1761 (Mrs Elizabeth Barry was Imogen) but i cannot find evidence of him playing Iachimo – which judging by the character’s pointing and knowing look to us the viewer, i think this is. The second person on the left could be a servant to Iachimo. I don’t think it is Samuel Foote.