Artwork
H Beard Print Collection
H Beard Print Collection is a print by the Romanticist artist Agnolo Gaddi. It is held in the collection of the Victoria and Albert Museum.
About this work
Overview
This 1834 print presents a portrait of the Italian soprano Almerinda Manzocchi in the role of Anna Bolena, the Tudor queen famously dramatized in Gaetano Donizetti's opera. The image captures the theatrical costume and expression associated with the tragic heroine, reflecting the 19th‑century fascination with operatic portraiture.
Subject & Meaning
Almerinda Manzocchi, a noted contralto of her era, is shown embodying Anna Bolena, a figure symbolizing royal intrigue and personal sacrifice. The print serves both as a likeness of the performer and as a visual representation of the opera’s dramatic narrative, linking the artist’s identity with the character’s emotional intensity.
Technique & Style
Executed as a print, the work employs line work and shading typical of early 19th‑century reproductive processes, likely a lithograph or engraving. The rendering emphasizes costume details, rich fabrics and regal accessories, while using contrast to model the face and convey the solemn mood of the tragic queen.
History & Provenance
Created in 1834, the print was produced shortly after Manzocchi’s acclaimed performances as Anna Bolena, serving as a collectible souvenir for admirers of opera. Its survival in the H Beard Print Collection indicates continued interest in historic theatrical portraiture and the preservation of visual records of 19th‑century stage artists.
Own this work as a print
Artist & collection
Artist
Agnolo Gaddi (c.1350–1396) was an Italian painter. He was born and died in Florence, and was the son of the painter Taddeo Gaddi, who was himself the major pupil of the Florentine master Giotto. Agnolo was a painter…
![Saint Bernard and Saint Catherine of Alexandria with the Virgin of the Annunciation [right panel], by Agnolo Gaddi](https://artifactworldgallery.com/img/agnolo-gaddi--saint-bernard-and-saint-catherine-of-alexandria-with-the-vir--710fc1ea417a9916-w320.webp)
Saint Bernard and Saint Catherine of Alexandria with the Virgin of the Annunciation [right panel]![Saint Andrew and Saint Benedict with the Archangel Gabriel [left panel], by Agnolo Gaddi](https://artifactworldgallery.com/img/agnolo-gaddi--saint-andrew-and-saint-benedict-with-the-archangel-gabriel-l--ddd94720dea7e794-w320.webp)
Saint Andrew and Saint Benedict with the Archangel Gabriel [left panel]![Madonna and Child with Saints Andrew, Benedict, Bernard, and Catherine of Alexandria with Angels [entire triptych], by Agnolo Gaddi](https://artifactworldgallery.com/img/agnolo-gaddi--madonna-and-child-with-saints-andrew-benedict-bernard-and-ca--93a6585f38530738-w320.webp)
Madonna and Child with Saints Andrew, Benedict, Bernard, and Catherine of Alexandria with Angels [entire triptych]![Madonna and Child Enthroned with Twelve Angels, and with the Blessing Christ [middle panel], by Agnolo Gaddi](https://artifactworldgallery.com/img/agnolo-gaddi--madonna-and-child-enthroned-with-twelve-angels-and-with-the--f99a5efe37ce8dda-w320.webp)
Madonna and Child Enthroned with Twelve Angels, and with the Blessing Christ [middle panel]
The Coronation of the Virgin with Six Angels
Triptych
Madonna with the child, St. John the Baptist, St. Francis and St. Anthony and a martyr
Saint Nicholas and the storm
