Prince Yuga, the Illusionist Manek Shah
Oil Painting
ca. 1940 (painted)
ca. 1940 (painted)
Artist/Maker | |
Place of origin |
Prince Yuga was the stage name of Manek Shah, an illusionist or magician who specialised in an act which he made appear more mystical in the USA and Britain by dressing in his native Indian clothes and using an exotic stage name. He was one of many variety performers whose acts were popular on tour in the 1920s and 1930s but about whom little is remembered today.
Born in Bombay in the late 19th century, Manek Shah studied medicine and qualified in India as a doctor. He went to the United States where he was naturalised as an American citizen in California in 1906, and despite his medical training, worked as a stage illusionist. He appeared professionally in vaudeville in the United States and in variety in England in the 1920s and 1930s with two assistants, including his daughter Retta Shah. He adopted various billings including 'Yuga, Mystical Entertainer Extraordinary; 'Yuga & Co.', 'Prince Yuga & Co.' and 'Prince Yuga and his Company of Oriental Mystic Entertainers.' He made his Asian appearance his trade-mark and specialised in illusions including the Indian rope trick, passing a cord through his neck, producing birds from empty vessels, and making an assistant disappear from a crate.
Born in Bombay in the late 19th century, Manek Shah studied medicine and qualified in India as a doctor. He went to the United States where he was naturalised as an American citizen in California in 1906, and despite his medical training, worked as a stage illusionist. He appeared professionally in vaudeville in the United States and in variety in England in the 1920s and 1930s with two assistants, including his daughter Retta Shah. He adopted various billings including 'Yuga, Mystical Entertainer Extraordinary; 'Yuga & Co.', 'Prince Yuga & Co.' and 'Prince Yuga and his Company of Oriental Mystic Entertainers.' He made his Asian appearance his trade-mark and specialised in illusions including the Indian rope trick, passing a cord through his neck, producing birds from empty vessels, and making an assistant disappear from a crate.
Object details
Categories | |
Object type | |
Title | Prince Yuga, the Illusionist Manek Shah |
Materials and techniques | Oil on paper on a canvas backing |
Brief description | Oil painting, portrait of Prince Yuga, the illusionist Manek Shah (fl.1920s,1930s) |
Physical description | Oil painting on canvas in wooden frame of the illusionist Manek Shah in his stage costume of Asian-style robe and turban. |
Dimensions |
|
Credit line | Bequeathed by Retta Read |
Subject depicted | |
Associations | |
Summary | Prince Yuga was the stage name of Manek Shah, an illusionist or magician who specialised in an act which he made appear more mystical in the USA and Britain by dressing in his native Indian clothes and using an exotic stage name. He was one of many variety performers whose acts were popular on tour in the 1920s and 1930s but about whom little is remembered today. Born in Bombay in the late 19th century, Manek Shah studied medicine and qualified in India as a doctor. He went to the United States where he was naturalised as an American citizen in California in 1906, and despite his medical training, worked as a stage illusionist. He appeared professionally in vaudeville in the United States and in variety in England in the 1920s and 1930s with two assistants, including his daughter Retta Shah. He adopted various billings including 'Yuga, Mystical Entertainer Extraordinary; 'Yuga & Co.', 'Prince Yuga & Co.' and 'Prince Yuga and his Company of Oriental Mystic Entertainers.' He made his Asian appearance his trade-mark and specialised in illusions including the Indian rope trick, passing a cord through his neck, producing birds from empty vessels, and making an assistant disappear from a crate. |
Collection | |
Accession number | S.2-2005 |
About this object record
Explore the Collections contains over a million catalogue records, and over half a million images. It is a working database that includes information compiled over the life of the museum. Some of our records may contain offensive and discriminatory language, or reflect outdated ideas, practice and analysis. We are committed to addressing these issues, and to review and update our records accordingly.
You can write to us to suggest improvements to the record.
Suggest feedback
You can write to us to suggest improvements to the record.
Suggest feedback
Record created | January 18, 2005 |
Record URL |
Download as: JSON