Lot 329: William Maw Egley (1826-1916)

Captain Absolute's Introduction to Lydia Languish. "Lydia. I won't even speak to or look at him, etc." The Rivals
signed and dated 'W.Maw Egley.1877.' (lower left)
oil on canvas
35 x 42 7/8 in. (88.9 x 108.9 cm.)

London, Royal Academy, 1877, no. 1365.

Art Journal, 1877, p. 271.

with Kurt E Schon Ltd., New Orleans, by December 1986.

Earning the 'emphatic approval' of the Art Journal in 1877, Egley's spirited depiction of characters from Sheridan's 1775 play, The Rivals, captures the flamboyance and wit of his source.

The play's heroine, Lydia Languish, derives her perverse ideals of romance from popular literature. Captain Jack Absolute manipulates these when he pays court, disguising himself as a destitute soldier. Lydia's liason with the mysterious 'Ensign Beverly' is threatened by the meddlings of her aunt, Mrs Malaprop (whose misuse of complex words gave rise to the term 'malapropism'). When his true identity is revealed Lydia snubs Absolute, but her former allegiance reasserts itself when his life is threatened by a rival.

Egley shows Lydia coyly refusing to entertain the Captain, whose smart uniform befits his proper status.

William Maw Egley's historical genre scenes compare to Frith's in their richness and detail. He was a friend of the older artist, and occasionally contributed the backgrounds to his pictures. He favoured 18 t h Century playwrights but also tackled subjects from Shakespeare and Richardson, as well as standard historical genre.

VAT rate of 5% is payable on hammer price and at 17.5% on the buyer's premium.