{"meta":{"version":"2.1","_links":{"self":{"href":"https://api.vam.ac.uk/v2/object/O40448"},"collection_page":{"href":"https://collections.vam.ac.uk/item/O40448/"}},"images":{"_primary_thumbnail":"https://framemark.vam.ac.uk/collections/2009CE1648/full/!100,100/0/default.jpg","_iiif_image":"https://framemark.vam.ac.uk/collections/2009CE1648/","_alt_iiif_image":[],"imageResolution":"high","_images_meta":[{"assetRef":"2009CE1648","copyright":"© Victoria and Albert Museum, London","sensitiveImage":false},{"assetRef":"2023NP6555","copyright":"© Victoria and Albert Museum, London","sensitiveImage":false}]},"see_also":{"_iiif_pres":"https://iiif.vam.ac.uk/collections/O40448/manifest.json","_alt_iiif_pres":[]}},"record":{"systemNumber":"O40448","accessionNumber":"E.833-2000","objectType":"Drawing","titles":[{"title":"The First Scene","type":"assigned by artist"}],"summaryDescription":"Hablot Knight Browne (1815-1882) studied sporadically at the St. Martin's Lane Academy life class and was apprenticed to the engraver William Finden. He established an illustrator's workshop in 1834. He began collaborating with Charles Dickens on <u>The Posthumous Papers of the Pickwick Club</u> first signing himself as 'Nemo' and then 'Phiz' (a depicter of physiognomies) to harmonize with Dickens' 'Boz'. Working under the name of 'Phiz', Browne produced illustrations for a number of Dickens books, including <u>Dombey and Son</u> and <u>Martin Chuzzlewit</u>, as well as publications by the author Anthony Trollope. Following the publication of Dickens' <u>Our Mutual Friend</u> (1864-5), which was illustrated by Marcus Stone, Hablot Knight Browne's style became unfashionable resulting in his producing less work.\r\n\r\nThis illustration titled <i>First Scene</i> is a pair to one titled <i>Last Scene</i> (museum number E. 104-1948). It is not known if these illustrations are for a particular publication. <i>First Scene</i> presents a family wearing mid nineteenth century dress. The illustration is set within a drawn an arched frame. They gather around a new born baby, which is sat on a woman's knee in the centre of the room. Hablot Browne has brought variety to the composition by showing the figures both standing and sitting around the child. The different postures allow the artist to explore each figure's reaction to the arrival of a new child in their family. Above the arch is the title <i>First Scene</i> while below the artist has described the scene in two lines. The inclusion of a framing device and words in the composition suggest that this illustration and its companion, <i>Last Scene</i> were intended to be published. Scenes of family life such as this one were of popularity in the Victorian era.\n\nThe handwritten text below the image is from a Persian poem translated by Sir William Jones (1746-1794):\n\n\"On parent knees, a naked new-born child,\r\nWeeping thou sat'st while all around thee smiled;\r\nSo live, that sinking in thy last long sleep,\r\nCalm thou mayst smile, while all around thee weep.\"","physicalDescription":"A drawing for illustration showing a Victorian mother and child surrounded by her family.","artistMakerPerson":[{"name":{"text":"Browne, Hablot Knight","id":"A3921"},"association":{"text":"artist","id":"AAT25103"},"note":""}],"artistMakerOrganisations":[],"artistMakerPeople":[],"materials":[{"text":"pencil","id":"x30347"},{"text":"paper","id":"x30308"},{"text":"red chalk","id":"AAT80064"}],"techniques":[{"text":"drawing","id":"x32498"}],"materialsAndTechniques":"Pencil and red chalk","categories":[{"text":"Drawings","id":"THES48966"}],"styles":[],"collectionCode":{"text":"PDP","id":"THES48595"},"images":["2009CE1648","2023NP6555"],"imageResolution":"high","galleryLocations":[{"current":{"text":"LVLH (VA)","id":"THES49654"},"free":"","case":"WD","shelf":"7","box":""}],"partTypes":[[{"text":"drawing","id":"x32498"}]],"contentWarnings":[{"apprise":"","note":""}],"placesOfOrigin":[],"productionDates":[{"date":{"text":"mid 19th century","earliest":"1825-01-01","latest":"1875-12-31"},"association":{"text":"made","id":"x28654"},"note":""}],"associatedObjects":[],"creditLine":"Given by Mr Luke Gertler","dimensions":[{"dimension":"Height","value":"11.3","unit":"cm","qualifier":"","date":{"text":"","earliest":null,"latest":null},"part":"","note":""},{"dimension":"Width","value":"15.9","unit":"cm","qualifier":"","date":{"text":"","earliest":null,"latest":null},"part":"","note":""}],"dimensionsNote":"","marksAndInscriptions":[{"content":"The First Scene","inscriber":{"name":{"text":"","id":""},"association":{"text":"","id":""}},"date":{"text":"","earliest":null,"latest":null},"description":"","interpretation":"","language":"","medium":"pencil","method":"","position":"front, top centre","script":"","translation":"","transliteration":"","type":"picture title","note":"picture title; front, top centre; pencil"},{"content":"On parent knees a naked new-born child\r\nWeeping him sat'st[?] whilst all around thee smiled","inscriber":{"name":{"text":"","id":""},"association":{"text":"","id":""}},"date":{"text":"","earliest":null,"latest":null},"description":"","interpretation":"","language":"","medium":"pencil","method":"","position":"bottom","script":"","translation":"","transliteration":"","type":"Inscription; decoration","note":"Inscription; decoration; bottom; pencil"}],"objectHistory":"This object was generously given to the Museum because Mr Gertler, the donor,  recognised it as the first of two drawings in a series. The Museum has the second of the set, entitled `The Last Scene' (E.104-1948) which represents a deathbed scene. Mr Gertler had in his possession (May 2000) two more finished versions of these drawings, presumably the final stage before they would have been copied onto wood engraving blocks.","historicalContext":"","briefDescription":"Drawing, The First Scene,  a design for a book illustration for an unidentified publication, by Hablot Knight Browne (Phiz), pencil on paper, 19th century","bibliographicReferences":[],"production":"","productionType":{"text":"Unique","id":"THES48864"},"contentDescription":"","contentPlaces":[],"associatedPlaces":[],"contentPerson":[],"associatedPerson":[],"contentOrganisations":[],"associatedOrganisations":[],"contentPeople":[],"associatedPeople":[],"contentEvents":[],"associatedEvents":[],"contentOthers":[],"contentConcepts":[{"text":"Birth","id":"x32897"},{"text":"mortality","id":"x32898"}],"contentLiteraryRefs":[],"galleryLabels":[{"text":"Given by Mr Luke Gertler","date":{"text":"","earliest":null,"latest":null}}],"partNumbers":["E.833-2000"],"accessionNumberNum":"833","accessionNumberPrefix":"E","accessionYear":2000,"otherNumbers":[],"copyNumber":"","aspects":["WHOLE"],"assets":[],"recordModificationDate":"2025-04-12","recordCreationDate":"2000-06-14","availableToBook":false}}