Keywords: Thomas Rowlandson - Vaux-Hall - Dr. Johnson, Oliver Goldsmith, Mary Robinson, et al.jpg LargeImage In the supper-box on the left we see reading left to right James Boswell Mrs Thrale who appears twice Dr Johnson and Oliver Goldsmith The ˜macaroni ™ Captain Edward Topham scandalmonger to The World is quizzing Georgiana Duchess of Devonshire and her sister Lady Duncannon Sheridan ™s Lady Bessborough watched by a naval figure with an eye patch and a wooden leg not included in the Mellon version always called Admiral Paisley but Paisley did not lose his leg and eye until 1st June 1794 so it cannot be him To the left of him a young girl a young boy in the Mellon version holding the hand of a man who could be the comic actor William Parsons or Rowlandson ™s friend Jack Bannister Peering at the two ladies from behind a tree is a figure traditionally though improbably identified as Sir Henry Bate-Dudley the ˜Fighting Parson ™ editor of the Morning Herald; he is more likely to be Thomas Tyers son of Jonathan Tyers the great entrepreneur and proprietor of Vauxhall Gardens from 1729 until 1767 who stands next to the Scotsman James Perry editor of the London Gazette The couple on their right could well be the artist himself and his current girlfriend and to the right of them stands the actress Mary ˜Perdita ™ Robinson with her husband on her right and the Prince of Wales later George IV on her left Looking up at the singer the couple on the extreme left have been identified as the actress Miss Hartley in company with one of her many admirers possibly Mr Colman but suggested by their position apart from the crowd they could also be members of the Tyers family most likely Jonathan jr and his wife Margaret or their son-in-law Bryant Barrett and his wife Elizabeth The large lady seated at the table on the right is Mrs Barry the old Madam of Sutton Street Soho with two of her customers and one of her girls In the orchestra we can see Jacob Nelson the tympanist who had played at Vauxhall since 1735 and died there after fifty years' performing Mr Fisher on oboe probably Hezekiah Cantelo and Mr Sargent on trumpet and Barthélemon the leader who retired in 1783 James Hook the composer organist musical director and prolific song-writer may be seen between Barthelemon and the singer the 38-year-old Frederika Weichsell who was Rowlandson ™s next-door neighbour in Church Street and the mother of Mrs Elizabeth Billington Elizabeth had just aged 18 married James Billington a double-bass player in 1783 much against her parents ™ wishes A number of those present in this scene had already died by the time Rowlandson produced the painting and the affaire between the Prince and Perdita Robinson was already over Although there is no direct evidence for this it seems likely because of the dating and because of the central position of the singer that the painting was created by Rowlandson as a retirement gift for Frederika Weichsel whether from him personally or specially commissioned by the proprietors of the gardens ppmsca 05671 Published by J R Smith No 83 Oxford Street London 1785-06-28 Creator Thomas Rowlandson Aquatinto by Francis Jukes 1745-1812 Engraved by Robert Pollard 1755-1838 Initial restoration by User Adam Cuerden Revised version extensive dirt and stain removal perspective crop histogram adjusted and colors balanced <gallery> File Vauxhall Gardens by Thomas Rowlandson jpg File Vauxhall - Dr Johnson Oliver Goldsmith Mary Robinson et al jpg </gallery> Assessments Assessments c 2010 1 Vauxhall Gardens 1 High society in late 18th century London 00 12 15 April 2010 UTC 03193u Vauxhall Johnson Mary Robinson and so on 6 jpg ImageNote 1 3224 2579 488 784 8799 6190 2 Mrs Fredericka Weichsel ImageNoteEnd 1 ImageNote 2 1189 4079 447 571 8799 6190 2 Samuel Johnson ImageNoteEnd 2 ImageNote 3 701 4127 344 426 8799 6190 2 James Boswell ImageNoteEnd 3 ImageNote 4 1822 4058 220 351 8799 6190 2 Oliver Goldsmith ImageNoteEnd 4 ImageNote 6 3856 3948 852 708 8799 6190 2 Georgiana Cavendish Duchess of Devonshire and her sister Henrietta Ponsonby Countess of Bessborough ImageNoteEnd 6 PD-old-100 Engravings by Thomas Rowlandson Francis Jukes Robert Pollard engraver Vauxhall Gardens by Thomas Rowlandson Samuel Johnson James Boswell Oliver Goldsmith George IV of the United Kingdom Henrietta Countess of Bessborough Georgiana Cavendish Duchess of Devonshire Fredericka Weichsel Mary Robinson poet 1785 engravings 1785 in England Aquatint prints of gardens Fashion in 1785 Female vocalists in art Music scores in art Featured pictures from the Library of Congress |