This sketch depicts the great Australian tightrope walker Con Colleano (1899-1973) born Cornelius Sullivan in New South Wales, who performed with Bertram Mills' Circus at Olympia in the 1935-1936 season from 20th December to 25th January. Known as 'the wizard of the tight wire' or the 'wire walking wizard', he adopted the character of a Spanish matador and began his act in the circus ring making passes at a bull. He then mounted the high wire and performed Spanish dance moves on the wire, removing his trousers to reveal knee-breeches. His final trick was a forward somersault, feet to feet. Colleano was the first tightrope artist to perfect this trick.

Laura Knight was fascinated by the circus and was a regular visitor to Bertram Mills' circuses at Olympia from its early days in the 1920/1921 season. A founder member of the Circus Fans' Association she painted The Grand Parade Charivari that was exhibited at the Royal Academy in 1929, the same year that she travelled with the Mills/Carmo first tenting circus. She sketched and painted numerous works featuring acts from Bertram Mills’ circuses that were featured in a variety of promotional material for his shows from the early 1930s including VIP luncheon invitation cards