Sale 2526 - Illustration Art, December 10, 2019

23 c THOMAS NAST. Joseph Jefferson as Bob Acres in “The Rivals.” Graphite and ink illustration of Jefferson as Acres in Richard Brinsley Sheridan’s famous play, 1893. 343x444 mm; 13 1 / 2 x17 1 / 2 inches, mounted to slightly larger board with ink caption in side margins. Signed “Th Nast,” dated 1893 in pencil, lower left image, and captioned “J. Jefferson as Bob Acres. From Henry Irving Collection April 1906” in pencil, in another hand. [800/1,200] an excellent association work by the famed American cartoonist and caricaturist featuring the most celebrated American character actor of the 19th Century in one of his most iconic roles, from the collection of his friend, the great British Shakespearean actor, Henry Irving. Jefferson’s portrayal of Bob Acres was so well known that the actor named a small parish and train station after the character in rural Iberian Parrish, Louisiana, where he lived and owned property in 1869; it is still in existence. 24 c CHARLES DANA GIBSON. “At the Pavilion.” Illustration of performer at the London Pavilion, circa 1907. Charcoal and graphite on board. 483x725 mm; 19x28 1 / 2 inches. Signed along lower image; verso titled and numbered in Gibson’s hand in blue crayon, additionally titled in another hand with a descriptive label. Exhibited: Berry Hill Gallery as indicated by their notation on verso. Hinged to window matte and archivally framed to 27x37 inches. [2,500/3,500] Gibson visited London during the the turn of the 19th century and depicted life and culture there in his inimitable style as he did “gay 90s” America. He visited the London Pavilion in Picadilly circus, the great music hall where musicals and vaudeville performers such as the one depicted here (likely the comedian Dan Leno) appeared nightly. 23