Auguste Vestris. Engraving by Bartolozzi and Pastorini after an aquatint attributed to Nathaniel Dance, 1781.

A roundel within a square frame with a profile goose facing outward in either lower corner, standing on one leg. On a stage, with backcloth and wings depicting trees, a dancer stands on his right toe, his left leg out at right angle; his arms are held out, his head held down to his right shoulder and in his right hand he holds a wide-brimmed hat trimmed with flowers. He wears a light, long-sleeved jacket, the V-neck and cuffs trimmed with frills, the skirt swirling out from the waist, knee-breeches with cummerbund at the waist and low-heeled buckled shoes. Across the bottom of the roundel is an inscription in Greek: A Stranger at Sparta standing long upon on Leg, said to a Lacedoemonian, / I do not believe you can do as much; “True (said he) but every Goose can.”

Given by Dame Marie Rambert

The print is part of the collection of dance prints amassed by Marie Rambert and her husband, Ashley Dukes in the first half of the 20th century. Eventually numbering 145 items, some of which had belonged to the ballerina Anna Pavlova, it was one of the first and most important specialist collections in private hands.
Rambert bought the first print as a wedding present but could not bear to give it away. As the collection grew, it was displayed in the bar of the Mercury Theatre, the headquarters of Ballet Rambert, but in 1968, Rambert gave the collection to the Victoria and Albert Museum; seven duplicates were returned to Rambert, but these are catalogued in Ivor Guest's A Gallery of Romantic Ballet, which was published before the collection came to the V&A. Although often referred to as a collection of Romantic Ballet prints, there are also important engravings of 17th and 18th century performers, as well as lithographs from the later 19th century, by which time the great days of the ballet in London and Paris were over.
The aquatint is a companion print to S.4966-1968

The inscription and the geese standing on one foot are meant to be a satire on the dancer’s acrobatic movements – any goose can do what he is doing so what is so wonderful? What was wonderful is clear. Far from being satiric, the print shows much of Vestris’ appeal – his joyous abandon, appealing personality and easy technique. It was not surprising that he was a superstar of the time, idolised like a pop icon. According to legend, even Parliament was suspended so that MPs could see him dance.
Another version of the print shows the hat filled with money, criticising the huge sums he earned.

E.4965-1968