- 5
TENNIEL, 'RIVAL STARS', PENCIL, 1866
Estimate
700 - 900 GBP
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Description
- Tenniel, John
- ‘Rival Stars’(‘Mr Bendizzy (Hamlet) “‘To be or not to be, that is the question:’ – ahem!”Mr Gladstone (out of an engagement) [aside] “‘Leading business’, forsooth! His line is ‘general utility!’ is the manager mad? But no matte-rr – a time will come –”’)
210 by 165mm., pencil, signed with monogram and dated 1866, inscribed with title and publication details on original mount, mounted, framed and glazed
Provenance
Mary Green (nee Tenniel), the artist's sister and thence by descent EXHIBITED:
‘The Illustrators. The British Art of Illustration 1837-2011’, Chris Beetles Gallery,
November 2011 - January 2012, no 20
‘The Illustrators. The British Art of Illustration 1837-2011’, Chris Beetles Gallery,
November 2011 - January 2012, no 20
Literature
Punch, 14 March 1868, page 115
Condition
Condition is described in the main body of the cataloguing, where appropriate.
"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."
"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."
Catalogue Note
The defeat of the Reform Bill in 1866 and the subsequent resignation of Lord John Russell and his administration left the Liberal Party, now the opposition, in the hands of the former Conservative politician, William Gladstone (1809-1898). The Conservative Earl of Derby, Edward Smith-Stanley, became Prime Minister, with Disraeli as Chancellor of the Exchequer. By early 1868, the Earl of Derby was in poor health and on 27 February, Disraeli took over as Prime Minister. By March 1868, both parties had new leaders, neither of whom had faced a general election. This was the latest chapter in a rivalry that had begun in 1852 with a debate on the budget and would last until Disraeli’s retirement from politics in 1880. Five days before this cartoon was published, Ambroise Thomas’ opera Hamlet had opened at the Salle Le Peletier in Paris, with the lead role played by French baritone Jean-Baptiste Faure. A portrait of Faure in the role of Hamlet by Edouard Manet shows him wearing the same costume worn by Disraeli, suggesting that the opening of this production was the inspiration for Tenniel’s cartoon.