George Hunt after ''M.E.'' [M. Egerton]

The Prices. Full Price, Half Price, High Price & Low Price.

8 x 11 inches

Etching in original hand colour, by Hunt after "ME" and published in London in 1827.

Four swells walk along, arm-in-arm, in this amusing satirical print by George Hunt. Although it is not fully explained, it is thought that the print refers to an C18th impresario from New York, Stephen Price, who came over to take charge at Drury Lane Theatre, taking up the lease in 1826. Each character exhibits physical characteristics that indicate what type of 'price. they represent. A bloated fat man clearly stands for the full price seats whilst a shorter, rather smug looking fellow with half-price tickets is squeezed in between him and a lofty chap with upturned nose who clearly represents the highest price available. On the far right we have a rather mean looking man with a disapproving disposition acting for the lowest priced seats available! Stephen Price was a hugely successful theatre manager in New York who ran the Park Theatre in Manhattan for over 30 years. One of his objectives in coming over to London was to attract European actors across the pond to appear at shows in New York. He ended up with a virtual monopoly in this respect even attracting big stars like Edmund Kean over to perform in America.

£475