Artwork
Mad. Vestris, fitting on her Breeches for the Character of Macheath
Mad. Vestris, fitting on her Breeches for the Character of Macheath is a print by John Duncombe. It dates from 1850 and is held in the collection of the Victoria and Albert Museum. The 19th‑century print titled Mad.
About this work
This print is from the 19th century. It's a work by John Duncombe, but the actual print is by J.L. Marks.
The print depicts Lucia Elizabeth Vestris as MacHeath from A Beggar's Opera. This character is a notable one, showing Vestris in a specific role.
To learn more about the style and methods used in this print, look up the technique of sfumato.
Overview
The 19th‑century print titled Mad. Vestris, fitting on her Breeches for the Character of Macheath presents a theatrical portrait of Lucia Elizabeth Vestris in the role of Macheath from John Gay’s The Beggar’s Opera. Executed as a print, the image is part of the Harry Beard Collection and reflects contemporary interest in stage costume and gender play.
Subject & Meaning
The work captures Vestris, a celebrated actress and manager, assuming the male lead of Macheath, a notorious highwayman. By portraying her in breeches, the image highlights the period’s fascination with women performing male parts, underscoring themes of disguise, theatricality, and the fluidity of gender on the 19th‑century stage.
Technique & Style
Although the composition is attributed to John Duncombe, the actual printing was carried out by J.L. Marks. The print employs line work typical of the era’s theatrical engravings, emphasizing costume details and facial expression without resorting to the soft transitions associated with sfumato, focusing instead on clear, graphic delineation.
History & Provenance
The piece resides in the Harry Beard Collection, a repository known for assembling prints related to 19th‑century performance culture. Its attribution to both Duncombe and Marks reflects a collaborative practice common among printmakers, where a designer supplied the image and a printer executed the final impression.
Context
Lucia Elizabeth Vestris (1797–1857) was a pioneering figure in London’s theatre, renowned for her managerial innovations and for popularizing breeches roles, female performers in male attire. The print thus documents a specific moment when Vestris embodied Macheath, linking visual culture with the broader trend of gender‑bending performances in Victorian England.
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Artist & collection
Artist
John Duncombe was the kind of guy who left his day job to chase prints. He ran a print shop in Norwich, England, until he couldn’t resist the chaos of making his own, and by the late 1700s, his satirical prints were…
