The Rival Richards, or Sheakspear in Danger
Two tragic actors Edmund Kean and Charles Mayne Young are here satirized struggling to control Shakespeare. Both are dressed as Richard III to indicate their rivalry on the London stage in that part. Behind Kean at left is the Drury Lane Theatre with Covent Garden at right behind Young. The latter's more declamatory style gave him the edge as the city's leading tragedian until Kean's more natural approach took the public's fancy after his 1807 debut. Heath made this print around the time he turned twenty.
Artwork Details
- Title: The Rival Richards, or Sheakspear in Danger
- Artist: William Heath ('Paul Pry') (British, Northumbria 1794/95–1840 Hampstead)
- Publisher: Samuel Knight (British, active 1804–41)
- Subject: William Shakespeare (British, Stratford-upon-Avon 1564–1616 Stratford-upon-Avon)
- Subject: Edmund Kean (British, 1787–1833)
- Subject: Charles Mayne Young (British, 1777–1856)
- Date: May 18, 1814
- Medium: Hand-colored etching
- Dimensions: Plate: 9 9/16 × 13 11/16 in. (24.3 × 34.8 cm)
Sheet: 10 5/16 × 15 7/8 in. (26.2 × 40.3 cm) - Classification: Prints
- Credit Line: Gift of Georgiana W. Sargent, in memory of John Osborne Sargent, 1924
- Object Number: 24.63.277
- Curatorial Department: Drawings and Prints
More Artwork
A slider containing 5 items.
Press the down key to skip to the last item.
Press the down key to skip to the last item.
William Heath ('Paul Pry')
S. Gans
1830
William Heath ('Paul Pry')
Thomas McLean
1827–29
Multiple artists/makers
1827–29
William Heath ('Paul Pry')
Thomas McLean
1828–29
William Heath ('Paul Pry')
Thomas McLean
1828
Research Resources
The Met provides unparalleled resources for research and welcomes an international community of students and scholars. The Met's Open Access API is where creators and researchers can connect to the The Met collection. Open Access data and public domain images are available for unrestricted commercial and noncommercial use without permission or fee.
To request images under copyright and other restrictions, please use this Image Request form.
Feedback
We continue to research and examine historical and cultural context for objects in The Met collection. If you have comments or questions about this object record, please complete and submit this form. The Museum looks forward to receiving your comments.