'Signor Vestris Senr. in the Character of the Prince in the Grand Pantomime Ballet call'd Ninnette a la Cour.' Engraving by Thornthwaite after J Roberts, pubished for Bells British Theatre, April 9th 1781.

Full length male figure in dance pos, head turned to left, left hand outstretched, right hand on hip, wearing 18th century theatrical dress with cloak and high plumed hat. The cloak is swathed around the right arm, the right hand placed on the right hip. Titled beneath the print: 'Signor Vestris Senr. in the Character of the Prince in the Grand Pantomime Ballet (call'd) Ninnette a la Cour. J Roberts del. Publish'd for Bells British Theatre April 9th 1781. Thornthwaite Sc.'

Cyril W. Beaumont Bequest

The print shows Gaetan Vestris, greatest male dancer of his day, as the Prince in the 'Grand Pantomime Ballet' Ninnette à la Cour, 'composed' by himself, in which he made his London debut at the King's Theatre on 22 February 1781. His son, August, whose fame was as great as his father's, had already made his London debut in December 1780 and the performance on 22 February was designated his benefit.
The print, dated 9 April 1781, was published in Bell's British Theatre Volume XXI, published in 1781.
The instructions to the printer on the reverse of the print possibly relate to its publication in Cyril Beaumont's A Short History of Ballet, C. W. Beaumont, London, 1933, facing page 22.
The print came to the Museum as part of the Cyril Beaumont Bequest.

S.308-2000