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Alfred Concanen

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Concanen's 1867 design forChampagne Charlie,sung byGeorge Leybourne

Alfred Concanen(c. 1835 – 10 December 1886) was, for over twenty-five years, one of the leadinglithographersof theVictorian era,best remembered for his illustratedsheet musiccovers for songs made popular by famousmusic hallperformers of the time. These covers usually featured portraits of the performers or humorous scenes from their songs.[1]Sacheverell Sitwellsaid of him, "The most painstaking of thePre-Raphaelitesmust fail beside Concanen! "[2]

Biography

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His family originated from the borders ofCounty RoscommonandCounty Galway,while one of his ancestors was a well-known artist in that area in the 1760s. His parents were Edward John Concanen (c. 1814–1868), a portrait painter in Ireland in the early decades of the 19th century, and Mary Ann Concanen (néeBurgess) (1815–1884).[3]

Alfred Concanen was born in the High Street inNottingham.Described as "slight of build with a fair fullmoustache,something of adandy,good natured, generous, a play copy of thelions comiqueswhom he immortalised in hislithographs",[4]for a period he was a staff illustrator for theIllustrated Sporting and Dramatic Newswhere he sometimes used photographs (which could not be reproduced in the newspapers or magazines of the time) as a basis for his illustrations. At other times he might be seen in a theatre sketching a scene from a newcomic operaor in amusic halldrawing a performer such asJenny HillorNellie Farrenfor asheet musiccover.

Poster forCox and Box(1869)

Concanen made hissheet musicdebut in 1860, succeedingJohn Brandardas master of that art form, a position he held until his own death twenty-six years later. The 1860s were the peak ofBritishmusic halltradition and gave rise to thelion comique– such song and 'patter' performers asGeorge Leybourne('Champagne Charlie'),Alfred Vance– billed as 'The Great Vance', andG. H. MacDermottwere hugely popular, and Concanen captured both their acts and their personalities in his beautifully executed lithographs.

During his career Concanen probably created thousands of designs for sheet music covers, usually charging between two and twentyguineaseach, depending on the work involved and the amount of detail desired by the publishers. In addition, in 1869 he illustratedCarols of Lockayneby H. S. Leigh; in 1874The Wilds of Londonand, in 1876Low Life Depths,both byJames Greenwood.He also designed a number of theatre posters.[3]He was a member of theLondon Irish Rifles.

The theatrical designerEdward Gordon Craig,the son of the noted actressEllen Terry,recalled meeting Concanen in a tavern in theStrandnear to theLyceum Theatre,where the sixteen-year-old Craig was working forHenry Irving.Craig may have been the last person to see Concanen alive, because he died that evening, 10 December 1886, inMarylebone.

Comprehensive collections of hissheet musiccovers are held by theVictoria & Albert Museumand theBritish Library,among others.

Family life

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On 8 September 1858 Concanen married the 18-year-old Mary Anne Tholen (born April 1840) at aregistry officeinLondon.They lived at 43Bloomsbury Streetin London, while his studio was at 12Frith StreetinSoho.According to the 1861census,by that year Concanen was living in 66Greek Streetin Soho with his wife and two children, Eleanor Maud Concanen (born 1859), and Hugh Tholen Transton Concanen (1861–1917); his occupation was listed as a 'Lithographic Artist'.[3]

Later, at their home in St. Mary Square inLambeth,more children were born: Georgina Susane Concanen (1863–1869), George William Concanen (1864), Kate A. Concanen (c.1864 ), Barry Percy Concanen (1865), and Violet Eileen Concanen (1874).[1]According to the 1881 census, by that time Concanen was married to Ellen (1856–1916).

He had two grandsons from his daughter Violet Eileen, the actorsDerrick De MarneyandTerence De Marney.[5]

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References

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  1. ^ab'Alfred Concanen: Artist'on theLook and Learnwebsite
  2. ^Sitwell, SacheverellMorning, Noon & NightMacmillan & Co, London (1948)
  3. ^abcIrons, Neville - 'Alfred Concanen, Master Lithographer'Irish Arts ReviewVol. 4, No. 3 (Autumn 1987) pp. 37–41
  4. ^Pearsall, RonaldVictorian Sheet Music CoversDavid & Charles, Newton Abbot (1972)
  5. ^Derrick De Marneyon theBritish Film Institutewebsite
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