{"meta":{"version":"2.1","_links":{"self":{"href":"https://api.vam.ac.uk/v2/object/O117962"},"collection_page":{"href":"https://collections.vam.ac.uk/item/O117962/"}},"images":{"_primary_thumbnail":"https://framemark.vam.ac.uk/collections/2006AB9241/full/!100,100/0/default.jpg","_iiif_image":"https://framemark.vam.ac.uk/collections/2006AB9241/","_alt_iiif_image":[],"imageResolution":"high","_images_meta":[{"assetRef":"2006AB9241","copyright":"©Victoria and Albert Museum, London","sensitiveImage":false}]},"see_also":{"_iiif_pres":"https://iiif.vam.ac.uk/collections/O117962/manifest.json","_alt_iiif_pres":[]}},"record":{"systemNumber":"O117962","accessionNumber":"S.625-1997","objectType":"Tile","titles":[{"title":"Mary Ann Yates as Lady Townley","type":"generic title"}],"summaryDescription":"This tile, showing Mrs Yates (1728-1787) as Lady Townley in <i>The Provoked Husband</i> by Sir John Vanbrugh and Colley Cibber, is one of a series of late 18th-century tiles of actors and actresses produced in Liverpool by John Sadler (1720-1789).  Sadler experimented with transfer-printing on white glazed delftware tiles, transferring images from engraved copper plates to tiles, using enamel colours that were fixed during low-temperature firing.\r\n\r\nActors and actresses could become extremely well known in the 18th century, when theatres, concert halls and pleasure gardens were the major forms of public entertainment.  Engravers regularly produced images of paintings of the most popular performers, so the ability to reproduce engravings on ceramics was a lucrative development.  Since the engravings were transfer-printed, the original images appear on the tiles in reverse.\r\n\r\nBorn in Birmingham, Mary Ann Yates became one of David Garrick's leading ladies at Drury Lane Theatre where she first appeared in 1754.  After marrying the Drury Lane comedian Richard Yates, Garrick cast her in a leading role in the 1756 season.  She became a firm favourite there after her success in the coveted role of Jane Shore. Despite becoming a troublesome leading lady she was a regular member of Garrick's company until the end of the 1766–67 season.  Following disputes with Garrick, she appeared at Covent Garden where she played Lady Townley to William Smith's Lord Townley in the 1768-69 season.  After a time in management of the King's Theatre in 1773, she returned to Drury Lane for the 1774–75 season and remained there after Garrick's retirement. She delivered the elegy at his funeral.","physicalDescription":"Square glazed cream earthenware tile, transfer-printed with a decorative border of trellis work, and symbolic theatrical objects on the right and left sides including a flaming torch, comedy and tragedy masks, and a lyre.  There is a central image of Mary Ann Yates as Lady Townley, standing, wearing a full-length, hooped dress and a feathered headdress, and holding a fan in her left hand, looking to her left.  In a ribbon ground above his head is the name: 'MRS YATES' and below: 'as LADY TOWNLEY'. Decoration in underglaze black.","artistMakerPerson":[{"name":{"text":"Sadler, John","id":"A3047"},"association":{"text":"maker","id":"AAT251917"},"note":""},{"name":{"text":"Roberts, James","id":"A16818"},"association":{"text":"artist","id":"AAT25103"},"note":""},{"name":{"text":"Dixon, John","id":"A16813"},"association":{"text":"engraver","id":"x30813"},"note":""}],"artistMakerOrganisations":[],"artistMakerPeople":[],"materials":[{"text":"earthenware","id":"x29356"},{"text":"glaze","id":"AAT15091"}],"techniques":[{"text":"transfer printing","id":"AAT53922"},{"text":"firing (heating)","id":"AAT53887"},{"text":"glazing (coating)","id":"AAT53914"}],"materialsAndTechniques":"Glazed earthenware","categories":[{"text":"Ceramics","id":"THES48982"},{"text":"Entertainment & Leisure","id":"THES48959"},{"text":"Tiles","id":"THES48884"}],"styles":[],"collectionCode":{"text":"T&P","id":"THES48602"},"images":["2006AB9241"],"imageResolution":"high","galleryLocations":[{"current":{"text":"005","id":"THES355420"},"free":"","case":"","shelf":"","box":""}],"partTypes":[[{"text":"tile","id":""}]],"contentWarnings":[{"apprise":"","note":""}],"placesOfOrigin":[{"place":{"text":"Liverpool","id":"x30239"},"association":{"text":"made","id":"x28654"},"note":""}],"productionDates":[{"date":{"text":"ca.1777","earliest":"1772-01-01","latest":"1781-12-31"},"association":{"text":"made","id":"x28654"},"note":""}],"associatedObjects":[],"creditLine":"Accepted by HM Government in lieu of Inheritance Tax and allocated to the Victoria and Albert Museum, 1996","dimensions":[{"dimension":"Height","value":"12.6","unit":"cm","qualifier":"","date":{"text":"","earliest":null,"latest":null},"part":"","note":""},{"dimension":"Width","value":"12.6","unit":"cm","qualifier":"","date":{"text":"","earliest":null,"latest":null},"part":"","note":""},{"dimension":"Depth","value":"0.7","unit":"cm","qualifier":"","date":{"text":"","earliest":null,"latest":null},"part":"","note":""}],"dimensionsNote":"","marksAndInscriptions":[],"objectHistory":"The image shows Mary Ann Yates as Lady Townley in <i>The Provoked Husband</i> by Sir John Vanbrugh, completed by Colley Cibber.  Mrs Yates first played this role at Drury Lane Theatre on 3 March 1764, and again at Covent Garden in the 1768-1769 season when James Roberts painted both Mr. Smith as Lord Townley and Mary Ann Yates as Lady Townley.  For the tile of  Mr. Smith as Lord Townley, see S.627-1997.","historicalContext":"","briefDescription":"Tile decorated with an image of Mary Ann Yates (1728-1787) as Lady Townley in <i>The Provoked Husband</i> by Sir John Vanbrugh and Colley Cibber, Drury Lane, 3 March 1764. From an engraving by James Roberts published in 1775-1776 in <i>Bell's British Theatre</i>. Tin-glazed earthenware Delft tile produced by James Sadler, Liverpool, 1777-1780","bibliographicReferences":[{"reference":{"text":"","id":""},"details":"","free":"A Biographical Dictionary of Actors, Actresses, Musicians, Dancers, Managers and other Stage Personnel in London, 1660-1800, vol. 6.  Published by Southern Illinois University Press, 1993.\r\n\r\nDictionary of National Biography.  Oxford Univertsity Press, 2005."}],"production":"The image is taken from an engraving by James Roberts published in <i>Bell's British Theatre</i>, 1775-1776.\r\n\r\n","productionType":{"text":"","id":""},"contentDescription":"","contentPlaces":[],"associatedPlaces":[],"contentPerson":[{"text":"Yates, Mary Ann","id":"N1833"}],"associatedPerson":[],"contentOrganisations":[],"associatedOrganisations":[],"contentPeople":[],"associatedPeople":[],"contentEvents":[],"associatedEvents":[],"contentOthers":[],"contentConcepts":[],"contentLiteraryRefs":[],"galleryLabels":[],"partNumbers":["S.625-1997"],"accessionNumberNum":"625","accessionNumberPrefix":"S","accessionYear":1997,"otherNumbers":[],"copyNumber":"","aspects":["WHOLE"],"assets":[],"recordModificationDate":"2025-04-08","recordCreationDate":"2005-10-28","availableToBook":true}}