Garrick seemed to know instinctively the value of self-representation. In 1766 he delightedly spoke of the imminent arrival of a whole “cargo” of prints of himself, understanding as few actors did at the time the value of self-promotion to one’s career. Not surprisingly, Garrick’s image was everywhere after his death, in paintings and prints, in tea service sets and on enamel pendants. This image of Tancred, graceful and poised, shows Garrick’s artistry was even the subject of porcelain figurines. The source is the painting by Thomas Worlidge (1700–1766) now in the Garrick Club.
The Garrick industry was almost immediately active, and remained so through the nineteenth century, when books about Garrick flourished. By this time “the little monarch” was a legend.
Next »
