{"meta":{"version":"2.1","_links":{"self":{"href":"https://api.vam.ac.uk/v2/object/O128649"},"collection_page":{"href":"https://collections.vam.ac.uk/item/O128649/"}},"images":{"_primary_thumbnail":"https://framemark.vam.ac.uk/collections/2014GX5077/full/!100,100/0/default.jpg","_iiif_image":"https://framemark.vam.ac.uk/collections/2014GX5077/","_alt_iiif_image":[],"imageResolution":"high","_images_meta":[{"assetRef":"2014GX5077","copyright":"© Victoria and Albert Museum, London","sensitiveImage":false}]},"see_also":{"_iiif_pres":"https://iiif.vam.ac.uk/collections/O128649/manifest.json","_alt_iiif_pres":[]}},"record":{"systemNumber":"O128649","accessionNumber":"S.505-2006","objectType":"Painting","titles":[{"title":"<i>A Musical Party</i>","type":"assigned by artist"}],"summaryDescription":"The singers and musicians in Wright's painting have assembled in a tavern. Landlords catered for lively musical get-togethers by setting aside rooms for performers who would entertain themselves and the tavern's customers, though in this picture the gentleman in the corner, possibly a clergyman, appears to be ignoring the sing-song and slumbering by the fire. \r\n\r\nThroughout the eighteenth century music clubs and glee clubs sprang up, all male affairs whose participants sang traditional pieces and the popular songs of the day.  It was from these beginnings that amateur choral societies grew. But the nineteenth century saw another development. The taverns became host to rumbustious 'free and easies', presided over by a paid chairman. Respectability was introduced in the 1830s when enterprising London proprietors opened Song and Supper Rooms, with concerts provided by professional performers.  As demand increased, landlords built halls on their premises to accommodate the audiences and what had begun as do-it-yourself entertainment developed into Music Hall, with its mixture of singers, comedians and variety acts.\r\n\r\nJohn Masey Wright (1777-1866) was painting a subject that he knew well. He was himself an excellent amateur musician and worked for an organ builder, then as a piano tuner, before becoming a professional artist and illustrator.","physicalDescription":"Four male instrumentalists, playing cello, violin, bassoon and flute, and a group of six male singers cluster round a table in a tavern. The singers use music books propped up on the table. A small girl stands right and a gentleman, possibly a clergyman, slumbers by the fire. Signed by the artist.","artistMakerPerson":[{"name":{"text":"Wright, John Masey","id":"A18950"},"association":{"text":"artist","id":"AAT25103"},"note":""}],"artistMakerOrganisations":[],"artistMakerPeople":[],"materials":[{"text":"sepia","id":"AAT15025"},{"text":"pencil","id":"x30347"},{"text":"ink","id":"AAT15012"},{"text":"paper","id":"x30308"}],"techniques":[{"text":"drawing (image-making)","id":"AAT54196"},{"text":"painting (image-making)","id":"AAT54216"}],"materialsAndTechniques":"sepia, pencil and ink on paper","categories":[{"text":"Entertainment & Leisure","id":"THES48959"},{"text":"Paintings","id":"THES48917"}],"styles":[],"collectionCode":{"text":"T&P","id":"THES48602"},"images":["2014GX5077"],"imageResolution":"high","galleryLocations":[{"current":{"text":"008","id":"THES356678"},"free":"","case":"","shelf":"","box":""}],"partTypes":[[{"text":"paintings","id":"AAT33618"}],[{"text":"watercolour","id":"x33202"}]],"contentWarnings":[{"apprise":"","note":""}],"placesOfOrigin":[{"place":{"text":"Great Britain","id":"x32019"},"association":{"text":"painted","id":"x30138"},"note":""}],"productionDates":[{"date":{"text":"ca.1800","earliest":"1795-01-01","latest":"1804-12-31"},"association":{"text":"painted","id":"x30138"},"note":""}],"associatedObjects":[],"creditLine":"Purchased with financial assistance from the estate of Jack Reading","dimensions":[{"dimension":"Height","value":"4","unit":"in","qualifier":"","date":{"text":"","earliest":null,"latest":null},"part":"Framed","note":""},{"dimension":"Width","value":"7","unit":"in","qualifier":"","date":{"text":"","earliest":null,"latest":null},"part":"Framed","note":""}],"dimensionsNote":"","marksAndInscriptions":[{"content":"'The / Ruskin Gallery Ltd. / 11 Chapel Street / Stratford-on-Avon' printed, 'John Massey Wright / 1777-1866 / A Musical Party' inscribed in ink, 'Established prior to 1800 as Palser Gallery, King Street, London.'","inscriber":{"name":{"text":"","id":""},"association":{"text":"","id":""}},"date":{"text":"","earliest":null,"latest":null},"description":"","interpretation":"","language":"","medium":"","method":"","position":"","script":"","translation":"","transliteration":"","type":"","note":"Printed label with ink annotations on backboard of frame"},{"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":"The painting captures the gusto of amateur sing-songs and catch-clubs which fed the emergence of music-hall in the 19th century.  John Masey Wright (1777-1866) was a prolific illustrator, especially of plays by Shakespeare.\r\nThe painting may have been in the collection of Professor Allardyce Nicoll (1894-1976), Director of the Shakespeare Institute of the University of Birmingham.","historicalContext":"","briefDescription":"<i>A Musical Party</i> by John Masey Wright (1777-1866), ca.1800. Sepia, pencil and ink","bibliographicReferences":[],"production":"","productionType":{"text":"","id":""},"contentDescription":"","contentPlaces":[],"associatedPlaces":[],"contentPerson":[],"associatedPerson":[],"contentOrganisations":[],"associatedOrganisations":[],"contentPeople":[],"associatedPeople":[],"contentEvents":[],"associatedEvents":[],"contentOthers":[],"contentConcepts":[],"contentLiteraryRefs":[],"galleryLabels":[],"partNumbers":["S.505-2006"],"accessionNumberNum":"505","accessionNumberPrefix":"S","accessionYear":2006,"otherNumbers":[],"copyNumber":"","aspects":["WHOLE"],"assets":[],"recordModificationDate":"2025-04-16","recordCreationDate":"2006-10-17","availableToBook":true}}