Not currently on display at the V&A

Mr. Van Amburgh and his trained animals and Mr. Hackett

Poster
1839 (printed)
Artist/Maker
Place of origin

Isaac Van Amburgh (1808-1865), three quarters Dutch and one quarter Cherokee Indian, was born in America and made his name there with the Titus Menagerie before coming to England in 1838 to perform with his big cats at Astley's Amphitheatre in October 1838 in The Brute Tamer of Pompeii; or, the Living Kings of the Jungle. His success led to an engagement at Drury Lane in the 1839 pantomime Harlequin Jack Frost where his performances in the cage attracted considerable attention and entranced Queen Victoria so much that she attended several performances, wrote about them in her diaries, and invited him to perform before her at Windsor Castle in 1844. In 1839 the Duke of Wellington commissioned Landseer to paint Van Amburgh's portrait, and numerous engravings of him appeared performing various dramatic episodes with his beasts, including The Brute Tamer of Pompeii.

Object details

Categories
Object type
TitleMr. Van Amburgh and his trained animals and Mr. Hackett (alternative title)
Materials and techniques
Printed paper
Brief description
Theatrical poster for mixed programme of acts including Mr. Van Amburgh and his Trained Animals, Yankee in England and Kentuckian starring Mr. Hackett. Theatre Royal Mancester, Great Britain, 1839
Physical description
Printed ink on paper theatrical poster for mixed programme of acts including Mr. Van Amburgh and his Trained Animals, Yankee in England and Kentuckian starring Mr. Hackett. Theatre Royal Mancester, Great Britain, 1839. The poster includes black typography and highlights the various acts. The poster also includes a print of Mr. Van Amburgh fighting a lion, tiger and three leopards.
Dimensions
  • Height: 37.3cm
  • Width: 20cm
Credit line
Gabrielle Enthoven Collection
Literary reference
Summary
Isaac Van Amburgh (1808-1865), three quarters Dutch and one quarter Cherokee Indian, was born in America and made his name there with the Titus Menagerie before coming to England in 1838 to perform with his big cats at Astley's Amphitheatre in October 1838 in The Brute Tamer of Pompeii; or, the Living Kings of the Jungle. His success led to an engagement at Drury Lane in the 1839 pantomime Harlequin Jack Frost where his performances in the cage attracted considerable attention and entranced Queen Victoria so much that she attended several performances, wrote about them in her diaries, and invited him to perform before her at Windsor Castle in 1844. In 1839 the Duke of Wellington commissioned Landseer to paint Van Amburgh's portrait, and numerous engravings of him appeared performing various dramatic episodes with his beasts, including The Brute Tamer of Pompeii.
Collection
Accession number
S.478-2015

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Record createdApril 29, 2015
Record URL
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