Robert Baddeley as Moses in the School For Scandal

'The School for Scandal' by Richard Brinsley Sheridan is a comical play centred on the lives of wealthy society people. It was first performed on 8 May 1777 at Drury Lane Theatre, London. Zoffany’s picture takes its subject from act IV, scene I where Charles Surface is auctioning his family portraits to pay his debts with the Jewish moneylender, Moses. Robert Baddeley (1733 – 1794) was the first and best known actor to play the part of Moses, a role he played more than 200 times. In 1794 Baddeley fell ill while dressing for the part of Moses and died the following day. There is no evidence that Baddeley commissioned Zoffany’s picture, though it is certainly of Baddeley when compared to known portraits of the actor. This is the last theatrical work painted by Zoffany before his departure for India; even after his return to England he was replaced by Samuel de Wilde as the main theatrical artist in London.