THE Bowes Museum in Barnard Castle and Georgian Theatre Royal in Richmond will join forces for an exhibition about the 18th century actor, David Garrick, marking the 300th anniversary of his birth.

Painting the Theatre: Garrick in Action, which opens at the Bowes Museum on April 8, will feature two paintings by Johann Zoffany (1733-1810) .

The Farmer’s Return and Venice Preserv’d, commissioned by the actor, were painted in 1762 and depict him playing a comic role and in tragic character. They remained in the same private collection after the death of Garrick’s widow in 1820 until their arrival at the museum in 2014.

The exhibition will by accompanied by a series of talks. The Georgian Theatre Royal plans to host one in Richmond and arrange for a speaker from the theatre to give a reciprocal talk at the museum.

The collaboration aims to help visitors understand and appreciate theatrical life in the 18th century while illustrating how Yorkshire was considered the first place for theatre entertainment after London.

Built in 1788, the Georgian Theatre Royal is the UK’s oldest working theatre in its original form.

“There is obviously a strong link between the exhibition and the theatre and we anticipate a lot of people will wish to combine visits to both," said Helga Pearson, theatre marketing officer.

The Georgian Theatre Experience offers behind-the-scenes heritage tours that give a unique insight into the its history as well as life in 18th century England.

"It was a period of significant theatrical development which was reflected by the actor, manager and playwright David Garrick, whose influence led to more realistic performance and higher production standards,” said Ms Pearson.

Garrick’s wealth and friendship with the artist Zoffany gave the latter the opportunity to develop the British genre "painting the theatrical action", which Hogarth had created a few years earlier.

Zoffany made at least six paintings of Garrick in different plays, designed to be hung in the dining room at the actor's home at The Adelphi, one of London’s most fashionable developments at that time.

Garrick had copies ordered to be offered to friends, and mezzotints made from these paintings had huge commercial success.

The exhibition will comprise paintings, engravings, contemporary mezzotints and theatrical paraphernalia to show how artists depicted theatrical action and how these representations encouraged the emerging phenomenon of celebrity.

Zoffany’s works appear in many prominent collections including the Tate, National Gallery and the Royal Collection as well as the Bowes Museum. The exhibition will run until July 9.