Souvenir of Sir Henry Irving by Walter Calvert 1895

Souvenir of Sir Henry Irving by Walter Calvert

Arthur Rackham Immortalizes Legendary Thespian Henry Irving

Don’t miss this scarce star-studded souvenir volume pairing giants of fantasy art and acting fame!

Buy Souvenir of Sir Henry Irving

1895 tribute to stage luminary Sir Henry Irving containing a full-page Rackham portrait reprint.

  • Rackham stunningly captures Irving’s intensity as Corporal Brewster in “A Story of Waterloo”
  • Among the few Rackham drawings depicting a real-life historical figure
  • An uncommon collectible for fans of Rackham, Irving, Victorian theatre, or 19th century celebrity
  • Rackham’s mastery distilling Irving’s force of persona before the actor was forever immortalized


Format: White paper wrappers with black lettering (48 pages)

Size: 6 1⁄2 x 9 3⁄4 inches

Text: Souvenir of Sir Henry Irving by Walter Calvert

Illustrations: 1 full-page halftone drawing of Irving by Arthur Rackham, reprinted from The Westminster Budget; more illustrations and photos by various artists

Publisher: Henry J. Drane (London)

Publication Date: 1895

Summary: This 1895 souvenir book pays tribute to eminent Victorian stage actor Sir Henry Irving with a piercing character portrait drawn by Arthur Rackham. Though Rackham contributed other illustrations for periodicals like The Westminster Budget, this full-page study recapturing Irving’s intense expression as Corporal Gregory Brewster is among the few pieces he crafted depicting real historical figures.

Additional celebrated artists and photographers capture Irving in various lauded Shakespearean roles, highlighting his legacy as one of early film’s crossover keyboard performers. While published various places, Rackham’s singular take on Irving’s gravitas stands out in this collected memorial volume, exhibiting the young illustrator’s adeptness at distilling the fire and mystery of prominent personages destined to become legends. For Rackham collectors, it represents an atypical yet virtuoso example of his interpretive skills applied to canonical theatre figures of his time.

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