{"meta":{"version":"2.1","_links":{"self":{"href":"https://api.vam.ac.uk/v2/object/O1249309"},"collection_page":{"href":"https://collections.vam.ac.uk/item/O1249309/"}},"images":{"_primary_thumbnail":"https://framemark.vam.ac.uk/collections/2013GT0953/full/!100,100/0/default.jpg","_iiif_image":"https://framemark.vam.ac.uk/collections/2013GT0953/","_alt_iiif_image":[],"imageResolution":"high","_images_meta":[{"assetRef":"2013GT0953","copyright":"© Victoria and Albert Museum, London","sensitiveImage":false}]},"see_also":{"_iiif_pres":"https://iiif.vam.ac.uk/collections/O1249309/manifest.json","_alt_iiif_pres":[]}},"record":{"systemNumber":"O1249309","accessionNumber":"S.431-2012","objectType":"Drawing","titles":[],"summaryDescription":"Pen and ink illustration created for publication in an illustrated newspaper or magazine in 1901. The sketch is entitled 'An Earl's Matrimonial Affairs' and the main image depicts Earl Russell with his second wife 'Mrs Molly Somerville' (neé Marion Cooke). In the top corner is an image of the Earl's first wife, Countess Russell, neé Mabel (Mary) Edith Scott. \n\nThe sketch was drawn by F.V.Poole and has been signed by the artist in the bottom right hand corner. \n\nJohn Francis Stanley Russell, 2nd Earl Russell known as Frank Russell, (1865 – 1931) was the elder surviving son of Viscount Amberley and his wife the  Honourable Katharine Stanley. He was the grandson of former prime minister, John  Russell, 1st Earl Russell and elder brother of philosopher Bertrand Russell. He was  married three times, lastly to Elizabeth von Arnim. In 1901 he became infamous when he was tried for bigamy in 1901 after which he gained a reputation as 'The Wicked Earl'.\n\nHis first wife was Mary Edith Scott (Mabel) Mabel, who made her living by singing on the variety stage even while she was married to the Earl. They married in 1890, and Mabel tried to divorce him (and lost) in 1891; she sued for restoration of conjugal rights in 1894. The earl requested a judicial separation in 1895, but she appealed and it was overturned. \n\r\nRussell next married Marion Cooke (born c.1857-1858), the divorced wife of George John Somerville, in the United States in 1900, after establishing domicile in that country and obtaining a divorce in Nevada. The British authorities considered such a divorce invalid, and Lord Russell was arrested and was convicted of bigamy in the House of Lords on 18 July 1901. The first Countess Russell did then obtain a divorce, and the Earl finally married Mrs Somerville on 31 October 1901, three days after it became absolute. His second wife divorced him in 1915 and Russell married the novelist Elizabeth von Arnim (née Mary Annette Beauchamp) the next year.\r\n\nThis item is one of several theatrical drawings from a collection of sketches commissioned from contemporary artists to be printed in illustrated magazines. The collection was donated to the museum by Sir William James Ingram in 1914. \r\n\n\r\n\n","physicalDescription":"Pen and ink illustration created for publication in an illustrated newspaper or magazine in 1901. The sketch is entitled 'An Earl's Matrimonial Affairs' and the main image, in the bottom right hand corner depicts Earl Russell with his second wife 'Mrs Molly Somerville' (neé Marion Cooke). In the top corner is an image of the Earl's first wife, Countess Russell, neé Mabel (Mary) Edith Scott, 'As she sang \"The City Volunteer\" at the Tivoli Music Hall'. \nThe sketch was drawn by F.V.Poole and has been signed by the artist in the bottom right hand corner. ","artistMakerPerson":[{"name":{"text":"Frederick Victor Poole","id":"A4288"},"association":{"text":"drawn","id":"x30616"},"note":""}],"artistMakerOrganisations":[],"artistMakerPeople":[],"materials":[{"text":"ink","id":"AAT15012"},{"text":"drawing board","id":"x33403"}],"techniques":[{"text":"drawn","id":"x34232"}],"materialsAndTechniques":"pen and ink on drawing board","categories":[{"text":"Entertainment & Leisure","id":"THES48959"},{"text":"Drawings","id":"THES48966"}],"styles":[],"collectionCode":{"text":"T&P","id":"THES48602"},"images":["2013GT0953"],"imageResolution":"high","galleryLocations":[{"current":{"text":"006","id":"THES356687"},"free":"","case":"","shelf":"","box":""}],"partTypes":[[{"text":"drawings","id":"AAT33973"}],[{"text":"illustration","id":"AAT54200"}]],"contentWarnings":[{"apprise":"","note":""}],"placesOfOrigin":[{"place":{"text":"London","id":"x28980"},"association":{"text":"drawn","id":"x34232"},"note":""}],"productionDates":[{"date":{"text":"1901","earliest":"1901-01-01","latest":"1901-12-31"},"association":{"text":"drawn","id":"x34232"},"note":""}],"associatedObjects":[],"creditLine":"Given by Sir William Ingram","dimensions":[{"dimension":"Length","value":"45.8","unit":"cm","qualifier":"","date":{"text":"","earliest":null,"latest":null},"part":"","note":""},{"dimension":"Width","value":"35.2","unit":"cm","qualifier":"","date":{"text":"","earliest":null,"latest":null},"part":"","note":""}],"dimensionsNote":"","marksAndInscriptions":[{"content":"'An Earl's/Matrimonial/Affairs'","inscriber":{"name":{"text":"","id":""},"association":{"text":"","id":""}},"date":{"text":"","earliest":null,"latest":null},"description":"","interpretation":"","language":"","medium":"","method":"","position":"","script":"","translation":"","transliteration":"","type":"","note":"Handwritten caption at the base of the sketch"},{"content":"'Mabel Edith Scott/Countess Russell/As she sang/\"The City Volunteer\"/At the Tivoli/Music Hall'","inscriber":{"name":{"text":"","id":""},"association":{"text":"","id":""}},"date":{"text":"","earliest":null,"latest":null},"description":"","interpretation":"","language":"","medium":"","method":"","position":"","script":"","translation":"","transliteration":"","type":"","note":"Handwritten annotation in ink, above the top left image"},{"content":"'Earl Russell/with his second wife/(Mrs Molly Somerville)'","inscriber":{"name":{"text":"","id":""},"association":{"text":"","id":""}},"date":{"text":"","earliest":null,"latest":null},"description":"","interpretation":"","language":"","medium":"","method":"","position":"","script":"","translation":"","transliteration":"","type":"","note":"Handwritten annotation in ink above the bottom left image"},{"content":"'F.V.P./01'","inscriber":{"name":{"text":"","id":""},"association":{"text":"","id":""}},"date":{"text":"","earliest":null,"latest":null},"description":"","interpretation":"","language":"","medium":"","method":"","position":"","script":"","translation":"","transliteration":"","type":"","note":"Handwritten annotation ink, bottom right hand corner, signature of artist"},{"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":"Sir William Ingram (27 October 1847 – 18 December 1924) was a Liberal politician who was elected to, and sat, in the House of Commons on three occassions between 1878 and 1895. He was also the Managing Director of The Illustrated London News from the late 1870s until 1900 and became the proprietor of a number of additional publications including The Sketch and The English Illustrated Magazine. \r\n\r\nThe Illustrated London News was the world's first illustrated weekly newspaper. Founded by Sir William Ingram’s father, Herbert Ingram, in 1842 the first edition was sold on 14th May 1842 at a cost of sixpence per copy. Building from an original circulation of 26,000 to in excess of 300,000 at its peak, The Illustrated London News remained in print until 2003 and commissioned illustrations from many of the leading artists of the late nineteenth century. Photographs were used alongside illustrations from the late 19th century onwards but illustrations were a major feature of paper until after the end of the First World War.\n\n","historicalContext":"This sketch was one of a group of prints and pencil and pen and ink sketches donated to the museum in 1914 by Sir William Ingram (1847–1924). Part of this collection was originally donated to the Prints and Drawings Department with the majority later passing to the Theatre and Performance Department. The full collection includes work by a variety of artists amongst whom are: A. J Finberg; Ralph Cleaver; F.V.Poole and Rossi Ashton. Though not all the publications for which they were created are identified the majority of the sketches were commissioned for, and appeared in, <i>The Illustrated London News</i>, <i>The English Illustrated Magazine</i> or <i>The Sketch</i>. \r\n\r\nSir William Ingram became the proprietor of <i>The Illustrated London News</i> in the mid to late 1870s and remained in post until circa 1900 when he was succeeded by his he was succeeded by his son, Bruce Stirling Ingram (1877–1963). He also became the proprietor of <i>The Sketch</i> amongst other papers in which capacity he gave commissions to many leading artists of the late nineteenth and early twentieth century.","briefDescription":"Pen and ink illustration created for publication in an illustrated newspaper or magazine in 1901. The sketch is entitled 'An Earl's Matrimonial Affairs' and the main image depicts Earl Russell with his second wife 'Mrs Molly Somerville' (neé Marion Cooke). In the top corner is an image of the Earl's first wife, Countess Russell, neé Mabel (Mary) Edith Scott. The sketch was drawn by F.V.Poole and has been signed by the artist in the bottom right hand corner. Given by Sir William Ingram in 1914.","bibliographicReferences":[],"production":"","productionType":{"text":"","id":""},"contentDescription":"","contentPlaces":[],"associatedPlaces":[],"contentPerson":[{"text":"Earl Frank Russell","id":"AUTH320226"}],"associatedPerson":[],"contentOrganisations":[],"associatedOrganisations":[],"contentPeople":[],"associatedPeople":[],"contentEvents":[],"associatedEvents":[],"contentOthers":[],"contentConcepts":[],"contentLiteraryRefs":[],"galleryLabels":[],"partNumbers":["S.431-2012"],"accessionNumberNum":"431","accessionNumberPrefix":"S","accessionYear":2012,"otherNumbers":[],"copyNumber":"","aspects":["WHOLE"],"assets":[],"recordModificationDate":"2026-03-28","recordCreationDate":"2012-08-02","availableToBook":true}}