{"meta":{"version":"2.1","_links":{"self":{"href":"https://api.vam.ac.uk/v2/object/O1255908"},"collection_page":{"href":"https://collections.vam.ac.uk/item/O1255908/"}},"images":{"_primary_thumbnail":"https://framemark.vam.ac.uk/collections/2014GX2875/full/!100,100/0/default.jpg","_iiif_image":"https://framemark.vam.ac.uk/collections/2014GX2875/","_alt_iiif_image":[],"imageResolution":"high","_images_meta":[{"assetRef":"2014GX2875","copyright":"© Victoria and Albert Museum, London","sensitiveImage":false}]},"see_also":{"_iiif_pres":"https://iiif.vam.ac.uk/collections/O1255908/manifest.json","_alt_iiif_pres":[]}},"record":{"systemNumber":"O1255908","accessionNumber":"S.937-2012","objectType":"Drawing","titles":[],"summaryDescription":"This caricature by Alfred Bryan (1852-1899), shows actor-manager Sir Henry Irving (1838-1905) bestowing a knighthood on his great friend, the actor-manager J.L. Toole (1830–1906). On the back of Toole's armour is an advertisement for the comedy <i>Thoroughbred</i> at Toole's Theatre, which played there in 1895. Toole's was the first London theatre to be named after an actor. He took over the management of the Folly Theatre in 1879 and renamed it Toole's in 1882.\n\nSir Henry Irving was one of the leading actors of the late 19th century. He became manager of the Lyceum Theatre in 1878 and continued to run the theatre until his death in 1905. In 1895 he became the first actor to be knighted for services to the theatre. Many people considered comic actors as worthy of knighthoods as tragedians, but Toole never received one, hence perhaps this caricature by Alfred Bryan showing Toole's esteem by the first great actor-manager Irving.\n\n\n<i>\n</i>","physicalDescription":"Pen and ink sketch of the actor/manager Sir Henry Irving dressed in armour, bestowing a knighthood upon another armoured figure who is kneeling at his feet. The kneeling figure has the words 'TOOLES THEATRE / THOROUGHBRED / EVERY EVENING' on the back of his armour.\n","artistMakerPerson":[{"name":{"text":"Alfred Bryan","id":"A28376"},"association":{"text":"artist","id":"AAT25103"},"note":""}],"artistMakerOrganisations":[],"artistMakerPeople":[],"materials":[{"text":"card","id":"x30344"},{"text":"ink","id":"AAT15012"}],"techniques":[{"text":"drawing (image-making)","id":"AAT54196"}],"materialsAndTechniques":"Pen and ink on card","categories":[{"text":"Entertainment & Leisure","id":"THES48959"},{"text":"Drawings","id":"THES48966"}],"styles":[],"collectionCode":{"text":"T&P","id":"THES48602"},"images":["2014GX2875"],"imageResolution":"high","galleryLocations":[{"current":{"text":"008","id":"THES356678"},"free":"","case":"","shelf":"","box":""}],"partTypes":[[{"text":"drawing","id":"x32498"}]],"contentWarnings":[{"apprise":"","note":""}],"placesOfOrigin":[{"place":{"text":"Great Britain","id":"x32019"},"association":{"text":"drawn","id":"x30545"},"note":""}],"productionDates":[{"date":{"text":"ca.1895","earliest":"1890-01-01","latest":"1899-12-31"},"association":{"text":"drawn","id":"x30545"},"note":""}],"associatedObjects":[],"creditLine":"Gabrielle Enthoven Collection","dimensions":[{"dimension":"Height","value":"24.7","unit":"cm","qualifier":"","date":{"text":"","earliest":null,"latest":null},"part":"","note":""},{"dimension":"Width","value":"12.4","unit":"cm","qualifier":"","date":{"text":"","earliest":null,"latest":null},"part":"","note":""}],"dimensionsNote":"","marksAndInscriptions":[{"content":"'A.B.'","inscriber":{"name":{"text":"","id":""},"association":{"text":"","id":""}},"date":{"text":"","earliest":null,"latest":null},"description":"","interpretation":"","language":"","medium":"","method":"","position":"","script":"","translation":"","transliteration":"","type":"","note":"Artist's initials in ink, lower right hand corner"},{"content":"'Sir Irving & Sir Toole. CB.'","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 pencil, upper left hand corner"},{"content":"'Sir H. Irving & Toole'","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 pencil on reverse"},{"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 of the actor-manager Sir Henry Irving (1838-1905) knighting the actor-manager J.L. Toole, ca.1895. Pen, ink and watercolour by Alfred Bryan (1852-1899)","bibliographicReferences":[],"production":"","productionType":{"text":"","id":""},"contentDescription":"","contentPlaces":[],"associatedPlaces":[],"contentPerson":[{"text":"Sir Henry Irving","id":"N1283"}],"associatedPerson":[],"contentOrganisations":[],"associatedOrganisations":[],"contentPeople":[],"associatedPeople":[],"contentEvents":[],"associatedEvents":[],"contentOthers":[],"contentConcepts":[],"contentLiteraryRefs":[],"galleryLabels":[],"partNumbers":["S.937-2012"],"accessionNumberNum":"937","accessionNumberPrefix":"S","accessionYear":2012,"otherNumbers":[],"copyNumber":"","aspects":["WHOLE"],"assets":[],"recordModificationDate":"2025-04-16","recordCreationDate":"2012-10-05","availableToBook":true}}