Mr. T. P. Cooke as Newton Foster
19th century
Medium
Watercolor, pen and black ink, over graphite
Dimensions
sheet: 9 5/16 x 7 5/8 in. (23.6 x 19.3 cm)
Classification
Drawings
Department
Drawings and Prints
Museum
Metropolitan Museum of Art, New York, NY
Credit
Purchase, Anne and Carl Stern Gift, 1965
Accession Number
65.551.4(5)
Rights
Public Domain
Tags
Art Historical Context
Behold *Mr. T. P. Cooke as Newton Foster*, captivating 19th-century British drawing that captures the dramatic flair of Victorian theater. Created anonymously using watercolor, pen and black over graphite on a modest sheet measuring 9 5/16 x 7 5/8 inches, this portrait depicts the popular actor Thomas Potter Cooke in the role of Newton Foster—a character likely from a military melodrama, as suggested by tags evoking soldiers, men, flags. Such works were cherished mementos for theatergoers, blending portraiture with performance. The mixed-media technique showcases the artist's skill: graphite ...