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Nell Gwyn
Posing as Venus with Cupid, Nell Gwyn lounges with her child at her right and a vase on her left against a natural setting. Portrait commissioned by Charles II.
John Gay
Engraved half-length portrait of John Gay. Below is an inscription: "M. John Gay, Author of the Beggar's Opera/ His Epitaph wrote by himself./ Life is a Jest, & all things show it,/ I thought so once, but now I know it./ To Alexander Pope Esq:…
Detail of Rose Theatre and Bear Baiting Arena, Panorama of London
Image Description: This detailed view depicts two key Bankside (i.e., south of the Thames) entertainment options for Elizabethan audiences: the Rose Theatre (which is actually mislabeled on Visscher's original as the Globe) and Bear-baiting Arena.…
Sketch of Interior of Swan Theater
This sketch purportedly represents an interior view of the Swan Theatre, from the vantage point opposite center stage at roughly eye level with the roof (tectum). It depicts a raised proscenium stage jutting out prominently into the groundling…
Detail of Second Globe Theatre and Bear Garden, "Long View of London from Bankside"
Image Description: This detailed view depicts two key Bankside (i.e., located along the south bank of the Thames River) entertainment options for Elizabethan audiences: the second Globe Theater and the nearby Bear-baiting Arena. Across the Thames…
View of the Cittye of London from the North towards the South
This view of London, from a hillside in present day Islington, provides a rare glimpse at life in the northern suburbs of London during the late 16th century. In the left-center of the frame stands a polygonal three-story structure with a flag…
Illustration of Elizabethan Bear Baiting
In this scene, a bear chained to a large wooden stake in the middle of the arena prepares to defend itself against the on-rushing pack of dogs. In the lower left corner of the illustration, an animal handler/referee watches the scene with a large…
Aerial View of Theatrical Performance in a London Inn-yard
This imaginative illustration features a lone actor performing on a proscenium stage in the courtyard area of an Elizabethan London inn. Surrounding the temporarily constructed stage on three sides is a densely packed audience. Beyond the confines…
A 'ghost' awaits his cue
Description: In this illustration, a 'ghost' prepares to ascend the ladder and appear on stage via the trapdoor. Two young apprentices mechanically operate the trapdoor, which slides back and forth on specially constructed grooves. Aside from the…