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The Beggar's Opera

Represented work of art
Dimensions0.482 x 0.546 (19 x 21 1/2 inches)
Provenance
  • Probably J. W. Steers (1808-26), Christie's, 3 June 1826 (48), (bought Seguier Sen. ) G. Watson Taylor, 1832; Louis Huth; Christie's, 20 May 1905 (103), (bought Agnew's), Earl of Carysfort; Christie's, 18 March 1921 (73) (bought Col. The Hon. J. J. Astor, Hever Castle; Anonymous sale, Christie's, 15 July 1983 (48) Anon, Christie's, March 16, 1984 (69) ; Birmingham City Art Gallery
Exhibition history
  • British Institution 1814 (76); British Institution 1861 (197); Grosvenor Gallery 1888 (251)
Publication history
  • Lawrence Gowing Hogarth 1971 p 27; Ronald Paulson, Hogarth, His Life, Art and Times 1971 pp 180-192
Photographic source
Object FormatPhotographic Print
Photograph Source
Negative Number5702
Archival context
Object numberPA-F03283-0017
Archival context
ClassificationsArchival Document
Scope and content This series comprises images of works by artists who were British by birth, foreign artists who worked in Britain or foreign artists who painted British sitters abroad. The works featured date from c.1500 to c.1900. The images in this series form by far the largest part of the Photographic Archive. Images remain in their original order: organised A–Z by artist name. Significant artists, or those for which there is a wealth of material, have multiple folders of images. In these cases, images are further subdivided by genre or type, depending on the artist. They may also be organised in ‘catalogue raisonné order’. The images predominantly depict oil paintings but prints and other works on paper are also included.
Acquisition information The collection has always been in the possession of the Paul Mellon Centre for Studies in British Art (or its predecessor institution, the Paul Mellon Foundation).
ArrangementThe archive has been arranged in its original order.
Conditions governing use The images in the Photographic Archive are derived from a variety of sources, so copyright in the collection is varied. The copyright status of each image is detailed at item level in the catalogue.
Accruals It is anticipated that new images may be added to the Centre’s Photographic Archive in future. These may be generated via the Centre’s everyday activities (such as the publishing programme). They may also come from external sources (such as donations by scholars or institutions).
Related material in Collected Archives The Collected Archives at the Paul Mellon Centre – particularly the Ellis Waterhouse, Frank Simpson, Oliver Millar and John Hayes collections – contain significant volumes of images of works by British Artists. The catalogues can be searched online at: http://calmview.co.uk/PaulMellonCentre/CalmView/advanced.aspx?src=CalmView.Catalog. Artist Guides are also available at: https://www.paul-mellon-centre.ac.uk/archives-and-library/artist-subject-guides.
Rights and reproductions
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Data Formats

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