Not currently on display at the V&A

Fairground scene

Print
ca.1980 (printed)

This print, made from two meticulously carved woodblocks in the Theatre and Performance collections, is packed with fascinating, closely-observed detail of a bustling, noisy mid-19th century fairground scene. The painted front of the menagerie booth advertising the wonders on show within depicts images of a monkey, a lion and snakes, as well as a giraffe. This means the woodcuts could not have been produced before about 1830 when the craze for seeing giraffes in England took hold. The first giraffe ever seen in England arrived in 1827, sent to George IV by the Pasha of Egypt as a diplomatic gift.

The image depicts many of the typical booth entertainments popular in fairgrounds of the day including theatre and circus, as well as menagerie. A 'barker' on the steps of the circus booth is touting for an audience, while musicians, equestrians and acrobats stand on the platform by the ticket booth. A band plays on another booth platform, where a figure dressed as Mr. Punch appears, while people are seen dancing in the Crown and Anchor dancing booth. A slack-wire performer sits on a wire above ground where sellers of food and drink ply their trade in the foreground, and people sit at tables near a food preparation table. Hundreds of people surround the booths and fairground rides, two of which are operated by the horses and riders on the outer rims of the rides, and the swing seat ride is operated by a man on a platform turning a wheel.

Considering the amount of time it would have taken for the craftsman to produce this woodcut, it must have been especially galling for him to realise when it was finished, that he had omitted the second letter 't' from the word 'Theatre' above the theatre booth!


Object details

Categories
Object type
TitleFairground scene (generic title)
Materials and techniques
ink on paper
Brief description
Mid-19th century fairground scene printed from a woodcut carved on two planks of wood. Printed ca.1980 from 19th century woodblocks
Physical description
Print in black ink on white art paper from a woodcut composed from two separate blocks, showing a fairground scene featuring a menagerie booth, a theatre booth, a circus booth, a dancing booth, fairground rides, a slack rope performer and people eating and drinking. Stamped in black ink with a Theatre Museum VAM stamp.
Dimensions
  • Height: 57.2cm
  • Width: 80.0cm
Credit line
Gabrielle Enthoven Collection
Subjects depicted
Summary
This print, made from two meticulously carved woodblocks in the Theatre and Performance collections, is packed with fascinating, closely-observed detail of a bustling, noisy mid-19th century fairground scene. The painted front of the menagerie booth advertising the wonders on show within depicts images of a monkey, a lion and snakes, as well as a giraffe. This means the woodcuts could not have been produced before about 1830 when the craze for seeing giraffes in England took hold. The first giraffe ever seen in England arrived in 1827, sent to George IV by the Pasha of Egypt as a diplomatic gift.

The image depicts many of the typical booth entertainments popular in fairgrounds of the day including theatre and circus, as well as menagerie. A 'barker' on the steps of the circus booth is touting for an audience, while musicians, equestrians and acrobats stand on the platform by the ticket booth. A band plays on another booth platform, where a figure dressed as Mr. Punch appears, while people are seen dancing in the Crown and Anchor dancing booth. A slack-wire performer sits on a wire above ground where sellers of food and drink ply their trade in the foreground, and people sit at tables near a food preparation table. Hundreds of people surround the booths and fairground rides, two of which are operated by the horses and riders on the outer rims of the rides, and the swing seat ride is operated by a man on a platform turning a wheel.

Considering the amount of time it would have taken for the craftsman to produce this woodcut, it must have been especially galling for him to realise when it was finished, that he had omitted the second letter 't' from the word 'Theatre' above the theatre booth!
Associated objects
Collection
Accession number
S.542-2018

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Record createdNovember 28, 2018
Record URL
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