Henry Matthew Brock.

The Sorcerer.

22 x 31 inches

The artwork was produced by the British illustrator and landscape painter, Henry Matthew Brock (1875-1960). Brock was commissioned to do a lot of the company's advertising posters and promotional material and this is a particularly fine example of his graphic abilities.

In this enticing image we see the sorcerer smartly bedecked with top hat, tailcoat and plaid breeches, holding forth a teapot that fizzles with effervescence. The plot revolves around the baritone, John Wellington Wells (the magician) creating a special love potion that, when imbibed, makes the recipient fall in love with the first person they meet.

This particular image celebrates the revival of the opera that was staged in London in 1919. The first production took place at the Opera Comique in 1877 and was the third collaboration of the now famous partnership of Gilbert and Sullivan. The pair produced the libretto for this comic opera that was to be performed in two acts but it has become one of their least well-known pieces. After writing the Sorcerer they went on to produce HMS Pinafore that has gained far greater popularity over the years.