Saturday, June 9, 2012

Drawing of the Day: George Leyton, 1905

Caricature of George Leyton
George Cooke, 1905
The Victoria & Albert Museum



I seem to be making the George Cooke music hall caricatures a regular Saturday feature, so here’s another one. Also from 1905, this illustration by George Cookie depicts the “descriptive and character vocalist” George Leyton who was at the top of the bill at the Grand Theatre of Varieties, Hanley, during the week of February 6, 1905.

Letyon’s act featured a chorus of 20 local boys. Together, they performed “Britannia’s Babes” in naval training uniform while also performing a naval drill. The drawing of pen, ink and wash on pink paper shows Leyton in a large roundel with his head in profile. Below, two smaller figures in full-length, depict a saluting soldier in red jacket and blue trousers and cap (left), and a sailor in a white sailor suit with blue-trimmed cap and collar (right). The drawing was bound with many others in the albums which Cooke complied of his work.
 




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