Two Men Smoking and Drinking (Charles and Jack Bannister in Henry IV, Part I)
Medium
Etching
Dimensions
Plate: 4 1/4 × 5 13/16 in. (10.8 × 14.8 cm) Sheet: 6 in. × 7 9/16 in. (15.2 × 19.2 cm)
Classification
Prints
Department
Drawings and Prints
Museum
Metropolitan Museum of Art, New York, NY
Credit
The Elisha Whittelsey Collection, The Elisha Whittelsey Fund, 1959
Accession Number
59.533.1727
Tags
Art Historical Context
This etching captures a lively tavern scene from Shakespeare’s *Henry IV, Part I*, featuring the noted actors Charles and Jack Bannister. The print shows the two men enjoying pipes and drinks, evoking the boisterous camaraderie of the play’s Eastcheap tavern episodes. Created between 1778 and 1783, the work reflects the Georgian era’s fascination with theatrical subjects and the growing popularity of Shakespearean performances on the London stage. Executed in etching, a medium well suited for capturing expressive detail and distributing affordable images to a wide audience, the print is attri...
About the Artist
John Bannister|Charles Bannister|Thomas Rowlandson (British|British|British) · 1735 |1757 |1760 –1795 |1827 |1836
British, 1735–1795 London|British, London 1757–1827 London|British, Deptford 1760–1836 London