Snapshots of the Past

Behind the scenes – Vintage Wall Art

Behind the scenes, 1857 Apr. 4 [publication date] — historic drawing
Behind the scenes, 1857 Apr. 4 [publication date]. Historic drawing from the Historic Print Archive collection.

(Originally scanned by the Library of Congress. Each image is professionally and digitally cleaned of artifacts such as color bars and extra borders prior to printing.)

Description

This historic drawing of Behind the scenes brings a moment of history to your wall. The original is held by the Library of Congress, so what you hang is a true record of its time.

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Behind the scenes

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A theater manager peeks through a curtain at a crowd squabbling for seats in this pencil drawing, which Punch published on April 4, 1857. The caption, "How they are squabbling for seats! Really a capital house!", draws a dry reply from Mr. Punch: that depends on what is brought forward. Punch often called Lord Palmerston "Pam," and the manager is commonly read as a stand-in for him, so the joke works as political satire as well as a backstage gag. The image treats a packed house as meaningless unless the show behind it has substance.

Created / published1857 Apr. 4 [publication date]
Medium1 drawing : pencil on off-white wove paper, mounted on brown board ; 22.3 x 17.4 cm. (sheet), 35.5 x 28.7 cm. (mount)
Genreyou've a good chance of success
Subjectsa capital house!" "Well! That depends upon what you bring forward." No copyright information found with item. The published caption varies slightly: Manager Pam (looking through the curtain). "How they are squabbling for seats!--Really a capital house!" Mr. Punch. "Well
SourceLibrary of Congress, Prints and Photographs Division
Original scan1,207 × 1,536 px · prints to 4 × 5 in at 300 dpi
ReferenceAMZ-SOTP-HPA-158762

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