Edward Onslow Ford

Overall the condition of the terracotta is very good with some minor wear and dirt to the surface consistent with age. There is a small area of restoration to the flap of the hat to the proper left side of the face. The paint of the base is slightly worn around the edges.
"In response to your inquiry, we are pleased to provide you with a general report of the condition of the property described above. Since we are not professional conservators or restorers, we urge you to consult with a restorer or conservator of your choice who will be better able to provide a detailed, professional report. Prospective buyers should inspect each lot to satisfy themselves as to condition and must understand that any statement made by Sotheby's is merely a subjective, qualified opinion. Prospective buyers should also refer to any Important Notices regarding this sale, which are printed in the Sale Catalogue.
NOTWITHSTANDING THIS REPORT OR ANY DISCUSSIONS CONCERNING A LOT, ALL LOTS ARE OFFERED AND SOLD AS IS" IN ACCORDANCE WITH THE CONDITIONS OF BUSINESS PRINTED IN THE SALE CATALOGUE."

This deftly modelled portrait of Henry Irving, the great late 19^th century actor-manager, is the earliest known version of the portraits of Irving by Edward Onslow Ford. First performed in 1874, Hamlet became one of Irving's most famous roles. His controversial interpretation of the Shakespearean character was a sensation and the play ran for 200 nights. A laudatory review by the novelist Bram Stoker led to a life long friendship between the two men and it was Stoker who later introduced Ford to Irving. Hamlet was revived in 1878, with Ellen Terry in the role of Ophelia. Ford was very taken with Irving's performance and made sketches of him which he later worked up into a clay model, hoping to persuade the actor to sit for him. Stoker saw the sketch and convinced his friend to sit for a life-size marble portrait, which Irving purchased from Ford and donated to the Guildhall Art Gallery. The piece helped to make Ford's reputation as one of the most talented sculptors of his generation. The present terracotta recalls Irving's pose and expression in the marble, but with differences in the costume, including the hat and cloak, which are dispensed with in the Guildhall version. The date of 1880 suggests that the terracotta may be a sketch made in anticipation of the marble.

RELATED LITERATURE
B. Read, Victorian Sculpture, London, 1982, pp. 292-4