Mr Heslop as Captain Ross

Handcoloured theatrical souvenir print engraved with a portrait of the actor Mr Heslop in the role of Captain Ross. The portrait is embellished with metal foil tinsel ornaments notably on the dress accessories & weapons. The clothing is of silk. The portrait has been cut from a paper sheet and mounted on card. Publishers sold souvenir penny prints which featured actors in character, often in dramatic poses. These proved successful and by the 1830s decorating these theatrical souvenir prints with tinsel had became a popular past-time. Theatrical prints were sold specifically for tinselling with pre-cut tinsel pieces.