Mlle. Aenea at the Palace Theatre. Mr. Dando working the machine up in the gridiron
Watercolour
ca.1894 (drawn)
ca.1894 (drawn)
Artist/Maker | |
Place of origin |
This watercolour shows the chief theatre technician and stage manager at the Palace Theatre, Walter Pfeffer Dando (1852-1944) working above the scenes on the gridiron on the flying equipment for Mlle. Aenea who appeared there in the 'ballet divertissement' The Spider and the Fly in October 1894. Dando was a specialist in technical theatre and production who by 1875 had patented a device to fly human performers over a stage. Three years later he perfected the machinery and effects for aerial ballet, as performed at the Gaiety Theatre by 'Aenea', the stage name of Letitia Barry, (niece of the playwright, theatrical manager, acrobat and pantomimist George Conquest), whom he married in 1877. In 1879 the couple took their act to the Theâtre du Châtelet, Paris, and continued to work on the Continent for several years while maintaining addresses in London. In 1887 he was hired by Richard D'Oyly Carte to design and install the stage and machinery for Carte's new Royal English Opera House that opened in 1891 at Cambridge Circus, a plot of land on Shaftesbury Avenue at the junction with Charing Cross Road.
The image was created for publication by the British artist, war artist and explorer Julius Mendes Price (1957-1924) who provided illustrations for The Illustrated London News and Vanity Fair and who often signed his work with his initials 'J.M.P'.
The image was created for publication by the British artist, war artist and explorer Julius Mendes Price (1957-1924) who provided illustrations for The Illustrated London News and Vanity Fair and who often signed his work with his initials 'J.M.P'.
Object details
Categories | |
Object type | |
Title | Mlle. Aenea at the Palace Theatre. Mr. Dando working the machine up in the gridiron (published title) |
Materials and techniques | Watercolour and black pencil on paper stuck on millboard |
Brief description | W.P. Dando (1852-1944) on the gridiron above the scenes at the Palace Theatre operating flying machinery for Mlle. Aenea 'La Mouche d'Or', possibly for the 'ballet-divertissement' The Spider and the Fly, Palace Theatre, 1894. Watercolour and gouache by Julius Mendes Price (1857-1924) |
Physical description | Watercolour signed J.M.P. showing Dando working on the gridiron above the scenes at the Palace Theatre, surrounded by wires with a huge wheel in the background. |
Dimensions |
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Marks and inscriptions | 'Mlle Anea [sic] - 'La Mouche d'or' at the Palace Theatre / Mr. Dando working the machine up in the ''gridiron''' (Inscribed in pencil underneath the drawing) |
Credit line | Gabrielle Enthoven Collection |
Summary | This watercolour shows the chief theatre technician and stage manager at the Palace Theatre, Walter Pfeffer Dando (1852-1944) working above the scenes on the gridiron on the flying equipment for Mlle. Aenea who appeared there in the 'ballet divertissement' The Spider and the Fly in October 1894. Dando was a specialist in technical theatre and production who by 1875 had patented a device to fly human performers over a stage. Three years later he perfected the machinery and effects for aerial ballet, as performed at the Gaiety Theatre by 'Aenea', the stage name of Letitia Barry, (niece of the playwright, theatrical manager, acrobat and pantomimist George Conquest), whom he married in 1877. In 1879 the couple took their act to the Theâtre du Châtelet, Paris, and continued to work on the Continent for several years while maintaining addresses in London. In 1887 he was hired by Richard D'Oyly Carte to design and install the stage and machinery for Carte's new Royal English Opera House that opened in 1891 at Cambridge Circus, a plot of land on Shaftesbury Avenue at the junction with Charing Cross Road. The image was created for publication by the British artist, war artist and explorer Julius Mendes Price (1957-1924) who provided illustrations for The Illustrated London News and Vanity Fair and who often signed his work with his initials 'J.M.P'. |
Collection | |
Accession number | S.2220-2010 |
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Record created | September 27, 2010 |
Record URL |
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