John Jellicoe

Melita at the Novelty Theatre

John Jellicoe's Melita at the Novelty Theatre was created by the British figure painter and illustrator in 1882. Held at London's Novelty Theatre, Melita was a play with an apparently Orientalist tone (Melita is the ancient name of Malta). According to the images portrayed the drama deals with a young and beautiful woman, a soldier's love for her, and her tragic death. I somehow doubt the play reached Shakespearian heights.

This original drawing is drawn upon 'Woolley & Co. Bristol Board' and with large, full margins. It is signed within the drawing to the lower right and titled (lower margin) and dated (verso) by the artist, John Jellicoe.

Melita at the Novelty Theatre

View other original works of art by the British artist, John Jellicoe.

John Jellicoe (London, 1843 - 1909)
#	Image	Title & Engraver	Medium	Date	Info	-
01-		Captain Webb's Sixty Hour Swim at the Westminster Aquarium by John Jellicoe	Original Pen and Ink Drawing	1880	Signed within the drawing to the lower right and titled and dated by the artist on the verso.
02.-		Melita at the Novelty Theatre by John Jellicoe	Original Pen and Ink Drawing	1882	Signed within the drawing to the lower right and titled and dated by the artist on the verso.
03.-		Sketches at Boscombe, Bournemouth by John Jellicoe	Original Pen and Ink Drawing	1893	Signed within the drawing to the lower right and titled and dated on the verso by the artist.
04.-		The Last of Jumbo by John Jellicoe	Original Pen and Ink Drawing	1882	Signed within the image by the artist and on the verso of the drawing he has written, "The Last of Jumbo/1st April, '82".	Sold

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Title:	Melita at the Novelty Theatre
Artist:	Jellicoe, John (London, 1843 - 1909)
Date:	December 23, 1882
Medium:	Original Pen and Ink Drawing
Note:	John Jellicoe: A fine figure painter and illustrator, John Jellicoe studied art in London and exhibited his first drawings there in 1865. During the following fifteen years he established a strong reputation for his pen and ink drawings, paintings and watercolours which were exhibited at the Society of British Artists and at the Royal Academy. Jellicoe was most highly regarded in the genre of figure studies and he was frequently commissioned for his work by the Illustrated London News, St. Paul's, The Windsor Magazine and The Sporting and Dramatic News. John Jellicoe also illustrated a number of children's books such as, Queen of Beauty (1894) and Cherry and Violet (1897).
	This original pen and ink drawing by John Jellicoe was commissioned by The Sporting and Dramatic News, in London. As is usual with original drawings for journals of this time, one will find small pin hole marks in the outer margins. These are registration marks used for photomechanical reproduction and thus prove that this drawing was actually employed as an illustration for the magazine on the specific date of December 23, 1882.
	John Jellicoe worked as a leading artist for The Sporting and Dramatic News for a period of over fifteen years. As the title of the journal indicates, this publication mostly covered entertainment and sports news of the day. Jellicoe's drawings dealt with a wide range of subjects, from contemporary London theatrical events, depictions of popular English resorts and feats of sporting heroics. 'Melita' at the Novelty Theatre belongs to the first category.
	Held at London's Novelty Theatre, Melita was a play with an apparently Orientalist tone (Melita is the ancient name of Malta). According to the images portrayed the drama deals with a young and beautiful woman, a soldier's love for her, and her tragic death. I somehow doubt the play reached Shakespearian heights.
	Like many illustrative drawings from this period, 'Melita' at the Novelty Theatre is constructed with narrative-like elements, containing a central image surrounded by secondary images. The major image depicts the three main characters of the drama, the soldier, Melita and an older man who is probably her father. Three other scenes are delineated along the upper and lower margins, concluding with the heroine's mournful demise.
Note:	The art of pen and ink drawing reached one of its greatest eras during the second half of the nineteenth century. This artistic medium was closely allied with the rise of illustrated journals, newspapers and periodicals throughout Europe and America. Competition among the publishers was keen and the difference between success or failure often depended upon the art and illustrations found within the published pages. Thus many of the best artists of the day were regularly employed by these publishers to submit drawings of topical interest which would then be reproduced, either photomechanically or by wood engraving, to illustrate both articles and stories.
	Our modern day ideas of illustration differ significantly from those of our ancestors. We are thoroughly accustomed to the matter-of-fact qualities of the camera. In the nineteenth century, however, the artist's eye ruled and the viewer depended upon his talents not only for portraying the factual elements but for his ability to interpret these elements artistically. It is no wonder then that many of the finest artists of the time -- such as Winslow Homer, Sir John Gilbert and Arthur Boyd Houghton -- were regularly commissioned to execute drawings for the periodicals. Even Vincent van Gogh cherished for years the desire to work as an artist for the English journals.
Source:	Commissioned By: The Sporting and Dramatic News, London.
Size:	15 3/4 X 11 1/8 (Sizes in inches are approximate, height preceding width of plate-mark or image.)
	Matted with 100% Archival Materials
Buy Now	Price: $565.00 US
Condition:	Drawn upon 'Woolley & Co. Bristol Board' and with large, full margins. Signed within the drawing to the lower right and titled (lower margin) and dated (verso) by the artist. Containing some foxing and spotting mainly on the outer margins, else in good condition throughout. 'Melita' at the Novelty Theatre represents a prime, original example of the art of John Jellicoe and an important historical account of the London stage during the late nineteenth century.
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