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This kind of opportunity has often advanced actors to stardom in showbusiness, and hence the depiction of the actress in this woodcut as being apprehensive. \r\n\r\nPeter Bax, the artist, worked as an assistant stage manager at Drury Lane Theatre from 1924. Working behind-the-scenes, he would have experienced the tension of the understudy first-hand. After later working on the first BBC television transmissions, in 1934, he further honed his aptitude for scenic design at Alexander Palace theatre.","physicalDescription":"Black and white woodcut print, with wide border. An actress stands with her left hand to her face, looking nervous as she leans against a wall. She wears a wide-sleeved robe over her dress and clutches folds of the robe's fabric in her right hand. There is exposed brickwork and pipe work on the wall, left. The title, 'THE UNDERSTUDY.' is printed on the border below the image. The artist's signature is below the image, lower right.","artistMakerPerson":[{"name":{"text":"Bax, Peter","id":"A19383"},"association":{"text":"artist","id":"AAT25103"},"note":""}],"artistMakerOrganisations":[],"artistMakerPeople":[],"materials":[{"text":"paper","id":"x30308"},{"text":"ink","id":"AAT15012"}],"techniques":[{"text":"woodcut","id":"AAT53296"}],"materialsAndTechniques":"Woodcut on paper","categories":[{"text":"Entertainment & Leisure","id":"THES48959"},{"text":"Theatre","id":"THES250537"},{"text":"Prints","id":"THES48903"}],"styles":[],"collectionCode":{"text":"T&P","id":"THES48602"},"images":["2009BY0062"],"imageResolution":"low","galleryLocations":[{"current":{"text":"006","id":"THES356631"},"free":"","case":"","shelf":"","box":""}],"partTypes":[[{"text":"print","id":""}],[{"text":"woodcut","id":""}]],"contentWarnings":[{"apprise":"","note":""}],"placesOfOrigin":[{"place":{"text":"Great Britain","id":"x32019"},"association":{"text":"made","id":"x28654"},"note":""}],"productionDates":[{"date":{"text":"ca. 1940","earliest":"1935-01-01","latest":"1944-12-31"},"association":{"text":"made","id":"x28654"},"note":""}],"associatedObjects":[{"object":{"text":"S.98-2007","id":"O134562"},"association":"Object"},{"object":{"text":"S.99-2007","id":"O134564"},"association":"Object"},{"object":{"text":"S.100-2007","id":"O134568"},"association":"Object"}],"creditLine":"Gabrielle Enthoven Collection","dimensions":[{"dimension":"Height","value":"31.75","unit":"cm","qualifier":"","date":{"text":"","earliest":null,"latest":null},"part":"","note":""},{"dimension":"Width","value":"17","unit":"cm","qualifier":"","date":{"text":"","earliest":null,"latest":null},"part":"","note":""}],"dimensionsNote":"","marksAndInscriptions":[{"content":"THE UNDERSTUDY.","inscriber":{"name":{"text":"","id":""},"association":{"text":"","id":""}},"date":{"text":"","earliest":null,"latest":null},"description":"","interpretation":"","language":"","medium":"","method":"","position":"","script":"","translation":"","transliteration":"","type":"","note":""},{"content":"Peter Bax.","inscriber":{"name":{"text":"","id":""},"association":{"text":"","id":""}},"date":{"text":"","earliest":null,"latest":null},"description":"","interpretation":"","language":"","medium":"","method":"","position":"","script":"","translation":"","transliteration":"","type":"","note":"signed"}],"objectHistory":"","historicalContext":"","briefDescription":"The Understudy, woodcut by Peter Bax showing a young woman standing backstage in a theatre, ca. 1940","bibliographicReferences":[],"production":"","productionType":{"text":"","id":""},"contentDescription":"","contentPlaces":[],"associatedPlaces":[],"contentPerson":[],"associatedPerson":[],"contentOrganisations":[],"associatedOrganisations":[],"contentPeople":[],"associatedPeople":[],"contentEvents":[],"associatedEvents":[],"contentOthers":[],"contentConcepts":[],"contentLiteraryRefs":[],"galleryLabels":[{"text":"The life of an understudy is one of perpetual tension. Their role is to take over a part if a main performer is indisposed, so they never know when they might be called upon.","date":{"text":"2008","earliest":"2008-01-01","latest":"2008-12-31"}}],"partNumbers":["S.46-2008"],"accessionNumberNum":"46","accessionNumberPrefix":"S","accessionYear":2008,"otherNumbers":[],"copyNumber":"","aspects":["WHOLE"],"assets":["2019LM6153","2019LN8134","2019LT5927","2019LW1756"],"recordModificationDate":"2025-04-17","recordCreationDate":"2008-02-27","availableToBook":true}}