(THEATRE) ALDRIDGE IRA Ira Aldrige African Tragedian

Sale 2105 - Lot 362

Price Realized: $ 9,600

?Final Price Realized includes Buyer’s Premium added to Hammer Price

Estimate: $ 12,000 - $ 18,000

RARE POSTER OF THE "AFRICAN TRAGEDIAN" INSCRIBED (THEATRE) ALDRIDGE, IRA. Ira Aldrige, African Tragedian. Lithographed portrait poster, by Nicholas Barabas, 15 1/4x11 inches (bottom margin very slightly trimmed), showing the actor from just below the waist up, holding a book. Long captions in English and German beneath the portrait, with a facsimile signature; early archival repairs to the reverse; washed with some foxing and staining still apparent; early creases where folded. Framed. [Pestk? Russia?], 1858

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inscribed by aldridge "To Director (Stramsser?) with the respect of Ira Aldridge, African Tragedian. Petsk [?], 21st Fe. 1858." Ira Frederick Aldridge (1807 New York City - 1867 Lódz), African-American stage actor who made his career largely on the London stage. He is the only actor of African-American descent among the 33 actors of the English stage with bronze plaques at the Shakespeare Memorial Theatre at Stratford-upon-Avon. Born in New York City, Aldridge attended the African Free School. His early "education" in theater included viewing plays from the high balcony of the Park Theatre, New York's leading theater of the time. His first professional acting experience was in the early 1820s with the company associated with the African Grove, where he debuted as Rolla in Pizzaro. Racial prejudice in America prevented Aldridge from obtaining roles and he moved to England. There, he was able to work as a dresser to actor Henry Wallack, and he was soon recognized as a great talent. By the late 1820's he was given top billing and began to tour the Continent and Russia. Aldridge never returned to the United States. He died in 1867. A copy of this portrait hangs in the National Portrait Gallery in Washington D.C.