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| George Rignold as Henry V Staffordshire, 1879 The Victoria & Albert Museum |
When the first earthenware flatbacks were produced in the 1830s, the factory saw much success with figures of Queen Victoria and Prince Albert, so, it only stood to reason that representations of other notable figures would be an excellent source of revenue.
Among the most popular subjects were figures of actors and actresses in costume from celebrated productions. This one, for example, depicts the English actor George Rignold (1838-1912) as Henry V—his handsome costume picked out in enamels and gilding.
Rignold played the role in America and Australia before coming to London and sub-leasing Drury Lane Theatre. For the first months of 1879, the theater had sat unoccupied, but Rignold’s epic production brought droves to the place. The spectacular production, adapted by George Calvert, boasted an enormous cast, horses, magnificent costumes and monumental scenery. The prdouction was described by one contemporary critic as “little more than a series of pictorial tableaux,” but, still, audiences were delighted and the show ran for two months before the start of the pantomime season.
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