{"meta":{"version":"2.1","_links":{"self":{"href":"https://api.vam.ac.uk/v2/object/O1160204"},"collection_page":{"href":"https://collections.vam.ac.uk/item/O1160204/"}},"images":{"_primary_thumbnail":"https://framemark.vam.ac.uk/collections/2014GX5099/full/!100,100/0/default.jpg","_iiif_image":"https://framemark.vam.ac.uk/collections/2014GX5099/","_alt_iiif_image":[],"imageResolution":"low","_images_meta":[{"assetRef":"2014GX5099","copyright":"© Victoria and Albert Museum, London","sensitiveImage":false}]},"see_also":null},"record":{"systemNumber":"O1160204","accessionNumber":"S.1114-2010","objectType":"Drawing","titles":[],"summaryDescription":"Caricature self portrait by George Robey (1869-1954), one of Britain’s most successful music hall comedians, a master of comic songs, caricatures and sketches, who became known as 'the Prime Minister of Mirth'.\r\n\r\nGeorge Robey made his first appearance on the London stage at the Aquarium in 1891. After appearing at the Oxford Music Hall in London the same year, he was engaged for most of the leading London halls. His ‘trademark’ stage appearance is captured in this caricature - a collarless frock coat, a semi-clerical bowler hat and enormous black eyebrows which he raised quizzically to great comic effect. He could make audiences cry helplessly with laughter just by coming on stage and looking at them, asking them to 'desist from this unseemly merriment'. A versatile performer, he was able to develop a career in revue, starring in <i>The Bing Boys Are Here</i> in 1916, and in the 1930s he appeared in both light opera and serious drama, playing Falstaff in <i>Henry IV Part 1</i> in 1935.  He received a knighthood in 1954, the year of his death.","physicalDescription":"Small pen and ink caricature self portrait by George Robey, head and shoulders, facing front, sketched on the back of a postcard. Black ink, with his nose hatched in red. He has distinctive half moon shaped eyebrows and wears a collarless jacket and bowler hat.","artistMakerPerson":[{"name":{"text":"Robey, George","id":"A24496"},"association":{"text":"artist","id":"AAT25103"},"note":""}],"artistMakerOrganisations":[],"artistMakerPeople":[],"materials":[{"text":"card","id":"x30344"},{"text":"ink","id":"AAT15012"}],"techniques":[{"text":"drawing (image-making)","id":"AAT54196"},{"text":"sketching","id":"AAT53576"}],"materialsAndTechniques":"Pen and ink on card","categories":[{"text":"Entertainment & Leisure","id":"THES48959"},{"text":"Drawings","id":"THES48966"}],"styles":[],"collectionCode":{"text":"T&P","id":"THES48602"},"images":["2014GX5099"],"imageResolution":"low","galleryLocations":[{"current":{"text":"008","id":"THES356678"},"free":"","case":"","shelf":"","box":""}],"partTypes":[[{"text":"drawings","id":"AAT33973"}],[{"text":"sketches","id":"AAT15617"}],[{"text":"caricatures","id":"AAT15634"}]],"contentWarnings":[{"apprise":"","note":""}],"placesOfOrigin":[{"place":{"text":"Great Britain","id":"x32019"},"association":{"text":"drawn","id":"x30545"},"note":""}],"productionDates":[{"date":{"text":"ca.1930","earliest":"1925-01-01","latest":"1934-12-31"},"association":{"text":"drawn","id":"x30545"},"note":""}],"associatedObjects":[],"creditLine":"Given by the British Theatre Museum Association","dimensions":[{"dimension":"Height","value":"8.6","unit":"cm","qualifier":"","date":{"text":"","earliest":null,"latest":null},"part":"","note":""},{"dimension":"Width","value":"7.1","unit":"cm","qualifier":"","date":{"text":"","earliest":null,"latest":null},"part":"","note":""}],"dimensionsNote":"","marksAndInscriptions":[{"content":"'Good luck Geo. Robey'","inscriber":{"name":{"text":"","id":""},"association":{"text":"","id":""}},"date":{"text":"","earliest":null,"latest":null},"description":"","interpretation":"","language":"","medium":"","method":"","position":"","script":"","translation":"","transliteration":"","type":"","note":"Signature"},{"content":"","inscriber":{"name":{"text":"","id":""},"association":{"text":"","id":""}},"date":{"text":"","earliest":null,"latest":null},"description":"","interpretation":"","language":"","medium":"","method":"","position":"","script":"","translation":"","transliteration":" ","type":"","note":""}],"objectHistory":"","historicalContext":"","briefDescription":"Caricature self-portrait by George Robey, pen and ink, ca.1930.","bibliographicReferences":[],"production":"","productionType":{"text":"Unique","id":"THES48864"},"contentDescription":"","contentPlaces":[],"associatedPlaces":[],"contentPerson":[{"text":"Robey, George","id":"N8064"}],"associatedPerson":[],"contentOrganisations":[],"associatedOrganisations":[],"contentPeople":[],"associatedPeople":[],"contentEvents":[],"associatedEvents":[],"contentOthers":[],"contentConcepts":[],"contentLiteraryRefs":[],"galleryLabels":[],"partNumbers":["S.1114-2010"],"accessionNumberNum":"1114","accessionNumberPrefix":"S","accessionYear":2010,"otherNumbers":[{"type":{"text":"BTMA accession number","id":"THES51752"},"number":"1972/A/47"}],"copyNumber":"","aspects":["WHOLE"],"assets":[],"recordModificationDate":"2025-04-16","recordCreationDate":"2010-06-22","availableToBook":true}}