The thesis treats the theatrical scenes and single figure portraits of actors and actresses en role by George Clint. The development of theatrical scene painting in England during the eighteenth century is traced from its antecedents in The Netherlands and France through to the arrival of Clint. There is a brief review of Clint's career to 1816 when he exhibited his first theatrical scene at the Royal Academy. To define the area in which Clint worked, a chapter explores the theatre of the time. His theatrical scenes are discussed for each of the three phases of his work which I have identified. The first phase terminated in 1821 when he was elected ARA. His second phase ran through the 1820s when he continued his earlier manner of painting scenes from staged productions, with portraiture. In the last phase during the 1830s his style and subject material changed. He was essentially a painter of the comic, initially of largely contemporary comedy and farce, but after 1830 of the more substantial comedies of Shakespeare. At the same time his style changed to a more distanced treatment of the theatre without reference to specific productions or casts. The treatment of his theatrical scenes is followed by a consideration of his single figure theatrical portraits of actors and actresses. An important goal for Clint was full membership of the Royal Academy; that he never achieved it led to his resignation in 1836. The position of the Academy at the time, and in particular Clint's situation, is considered. Clint is seen as a peculiarly representative figure in the debates on both the fine arts and the theatre, working as he does at the junction of the two arts and affected by the problems of both.Prints from Clint's theatrical scenes and individual theatrical portraits, both as independent works and as book illustrations are also discussed. Finally, his influence and the reason why the genre of theatrical scene painting came to an end in him are considered 3
| Identifer | oai:union.ndltd.org:bl.uk/oai:ethos.bl.uk:271351 |
| Date | January 2001 |
| Creators | Nisbet, Archibald |
| Publisher | Birkbeck (University of London) |
| Source Sets | Ethos UK |
| Detected Language | English |
| Type | Electronic Thesis or Dissertation |
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