Robert Wilks (1665?-1732) as Captain Plume from George Farquhar's 'The Recruiting Officer' (1706)
after Philippe Mercier (Berlin 1689 – London 1760)
Category
Art / Oil paintings
Date
circa 1740
Materials
Oil on copper
Measurements
419 x 597 mm (16 1/2 x 23 1/2 in)
Order this imageCollection
Erddig, Wrexham
NT 1151350
Caption
The scene shows Rose, a country wench (possibly played by Catherine 'Kitty' Clive [1711 – 1785]) with a basket of chickens and behind her Captain Plume, played by Robert Wilks (c. 1665 - 1732) - actor, manager of the Theatre Royal, Drury Lane and of friend Farquhar, the Irish playwright - grasping the shoulder of her accomplice and brother, the unfortunate Bullock. In the background Sergeant Kite is seated at a table taking a glass of wine. It is the opening scene of Act 3 of the 1706 comic play, The Recruiting Officer by George Farquhar (1677/8 - 1707). This picture is copied from a mezzotint engraving by John Faber (fl. 1695 - 1756) of1739 after a painting by Philippe Mercier (1689 – 1760) whose whereabouts is currently not known.
Summary
Oil painting on copper, Robert Wilks (1665?-1732) as Captain Plume in 'The Recruiting Officer' by George Farquhar, after Philippe Mercier (Berlin 1689 – London 1760). Copied from a mezzotint engraving by John Faber (fl. 1695 - 1756), 1739 after Mercier from an incident depicted in Scene 1, Act 3, in the Recruiting Officer the 1706 play by George Farquhar (1677/8 - 1707). A group of 3 figures, Rose, a country wench, (possibly played by Catherine 'Kitty' Clive (1711 - 1785)) in the centre, with a basket of chickens and behind her Captain Plume, played by Robert Wilks (c. 1665 - 1732), the actor friend of the Irish playwright and manager of the Theatre Royal, Drury Lane, grasping the shoulder of her accomplice and brother, Bullock; in the background Sergeant Kite is seated at a table taking a glass of wine.
Provenance
Given by Philip Yorke III (1905-1978) along with the estate, house and contents to the National Trust in 1973. In undated 19th century inventory as; 'Scene in the Recruiting Officer - Watteau [scored through] Van Bleak' and thence by descent.
Marks and inscriptions
Verso: WILKS, in the character of Capt[ain PLUME(?) (paper label stuck on frame)
Makers and roles
after Philippe Mercier (Berlin 1689 – London 1760), artist
References
Erddig 1800-29 Inventory of contents of Erddig, 1800-1829, “Scene in the Recruiting Officer - Watteau [scored through] Van Bleak” Ingamells & Raines 1978 John Ingamells & Robert Raines, ‘A Catalogue of the Paintings, Drawings and Etchings of Philip Mercier’, The Walpole Society, vol.XLVI, 1978, p.61, under No.260: “A closely related painting, not by Mercier, is at Erddig.”