{"meta":{"version":"2.1","_links":{"self":{"href":"https://api.vam.ac.uk/v2/object/O1136431"},"collection_page":{"href":"https://collections.vam.ac.uk/item/O1136431/"}},"images":{"_primary_thumbnail":"https://framemark.vam.ac.uk/collections/2010EF9607/full/!100,100/0/default.jpg","_iiif_image":"https://framemark.vam.ac.uk/collections/2010EF9607/","_alt_iiif_image":[],"imageResolution":"high","_images_meta":[{"assetRef":"2010EF9607","copyright":"© Victoria and Albert Museum, London","sensitiveImage":false},{"assetRef":"2006AV3390","copyright":"© Victoria and Albert Museum, London","sensitiveImage":false}]},"see_also":{"_iiif_pres":"https://iiif.vam.ac.uk/collections/O1136431/manifest.json","_alt_iiif_pres":[]}},"record":{"systemNumber":"O1136431","accessionNumber":"S.2386-2009","objectType":"Print","titles":[{"title":"H Beard Print Collection","type":"named collection"}],"summaryDescription":"This print shows the interior of Astley's Riding School in 1777. Sergeant Major Philip Astley (1742-1814) was noted for his trick riding skills in the army, and after his discharge from the Light Dragoons in 1766, opened his first riding school in June 1768, in Halfpenny Hatch field, Lambeth. By 1770 Astley was operating from this amphitheatre, a simple wood structure with sheltered seats and an open riding ring which he built at the southern end of Westminster Bridge Road. Here he and his wife performed tricks on horseback to paying customers, at first with Astley's white charger Gibraltar, and later with a smaller horse, Billy. Astley was to spend forty-six years working with equestrian entertainment, and came to be acknowledged as the father of  modern circus.\r\n\r\nThe artist of the original William Capon (1757-1827) was a Norwich-born scene-painter, architectural draughtsman and architect who lived in Westminster for thirty years, and was twenty when he painted this. He produced many topographical drawings of views in Westminster and had a strong interest in theatre, assisting in the building and decoration of the Italian Opera House in London's Haymarket from 1790 to 1791, and working as a scene painter at Drury Lane Theatre in 1794.  He also made a drawing of the interior of the riding school in 1777. Both were reproduced as engravings by Charles John Smith, and the museum also owns the original of the exterior view.","physicalDescription":"Colour interior view of the Astley's amphitheatre.","artistMakerPerson":[{"name":{"text":"Capon, William","id":"A24864"},"association":{"text":"artist","id":"AAT25103"},"note":"after"},{"name":{"text":"Smith, Charles John","id":"A24865"},"association":{"text":"engraver","id":"AAT25165"},"note":""}],"artistMakerOrganisations":[],"artistMakerPeople":[],"materials":[{"text":"paper","id":"x30308"},{"text":"printing ink","id":"AAT187371"},{"text":"paint","id":"AAT15029"}],"techniques":[{"text":"print-making","id":"AAT131119"},{"text":"etching","id":"AAT53241"},{"text":"hand-colouring","id":"AAT133555"}],"materialsAndTechniques":"hand-coloured etching cut within the plate","categories":[{"text":"Prints","id":"THES48903"},{"text":"Entertainment & Leisure","id":"THES48959"}],"styles":[],"collectionCode":{"text":"T&P","id":"THES48602"},"images":["2010EF9607","2006AV3390"],"imageResolution":"high","galleryLocations":[{"current":{"text":"009","id":"THES356578"},"free":"","case":"","shelf":"","box":""}],"partTypes":[[{"text":"prints","id":"AAT41273"}],[{"text":"etchings","id":"AAT41365"}]],"contentWarnings":[{"apprise":"","note":""}],"placesOfOrigin":[{"place":{"text":"Great Britain","id":"x32019"},"association":{"text":"published","id":"x30682"},"note":""}],"productionDates":[{"date":{"text":"probably 18th century","earliest":"1700-01-01","latest":"1800-12-31"},"association":{"text":"published","id":"x30682"},"note":""}],"associatedObjects":[{"object":{"text":"S.2385-2009","id":"O1136428"},"association":"Duplicate"},{"object":{"text":"S.222-2011","id":"O1194443"},"association":"Object"},{"object":{"text":"S.2386-2009","id":"O1136431"},"association":"Object"}],"creditLine":"Harry R. Beard Collection, given by Isobel Beard","dimensions":[{"dimension":"Height","value":"27.5","unit":"cm","qualifier":"","date":{"text":"","earliest":null,"latest":null},"part":"Print size","note":""},{"dimension":"Width","value":"33.6","unit":"cm","qualifier":"","date":{"text":"","earliest":null,"latest":null},"part":"Print size","note":""},{"dimension":"Height","value":"355mm","unit":"","qualifier":"","date":{"text":"","earliest":null,"latest":null},"part":"Mount size, external ","note":""},{"dimension":"Width","value":"406mm","unit":"","qualifier":"","date":{"text":"","earliest":null,"latest":null},"part":"Mount size external","note":""}],"dimensionsNote":"","marksAndInscriptions":[],"objectHistory":"","historicalContext":"","briefDescription":"Colour interior view of Astley's amphitheatre by Charles John Smith after William Capon (1757-1827), Harry Beard Collection.","bibliographicReferences":[],"production":"","productionType":{"text":"","id":""},"contentDescription":"","contentPlaces":[],"associatedPlaces":[],"contentPerson":[],"associatedPerson":[],"contentOrganisations":[],"associatedOrganisations":[],"contentPeople":[],"associatedPeople":[],"contentEvents":[],"associatedEvents":[],"contentOthers":[],"contentConcepts":[],"contentLiteraryRefs":[],"galleryLabels":[],"partNumbers":["S.2386-2009"],"accessionNumberNum":"2386","accessionNumberPrefix":"S","accessionYear":2009,"otherNumbers":[{"type":{"text":"H Beard collection numbering","id":"THES50444"},"number":"F.112-52"}],"copyNumber":"","aspects":["WHOLE"],"assets":[],"recordModificationDate":"2025-04-08","recordCreationDate":"2009-08-21","availableToBook":true}}