{"meta":{"version":"2.1","_links":{"self":{"href":"https://api.vam.ac.uk/v2/object/O1244453"},"collection_page":{"href":"https://collections.vam.ac.uk/item/O1244453/"}},"images":null,"see_also":null},"record":{"systemNumber":"O1244453","accessionNumber":"S.1151-2011","objectType":"Woodcut","titles":[],"summaryDescription":"Nineteenth century circus featured equestrian acts based on stage dramas, and this woodcut illustration appears to show a member of the Cooke equestrian family, possibly William Cooke, performing a feat of horsemanship as Alessandro Massaroni the Brigand, in a version of Planché's popular romantic drama <i>The Brigand </i>which was originally presented at Drury Lane Theatre in 1829.\n\nThe strongman Thomas Cooke founded Cooke's Circus as a travelling circus in the late 18th century. From about 1810 it was run by his son Thomas Taplin Cooke (1782-1866), who adopted the name Royal Circus after a Command Performance in 1830 by King Wiliam IV and Queen Adelaide at Brighton's Royal Pavilion. His son William Cooke (1806-1886) leased Astley's Amphitheatre in London from 1853 until 1860 where he staged and took part in ambitious equestrian spectacles.\n\nCooke's was one of the first circuses to follow the example of Astley's Circus by touring abroad, taking the circus to Spain and Portugal in 1816 and America in 1836. The Cookes established a number of circuses in regional towns, particularly in Scotland where they ran circuses in wooden buildings in Glasgow, Edinburgh, Dundee, Aberdeen, Perth and Greenock. Since the printer's name on this image is T. Fife, it may be that this image was cut from a playbill advertising a performance at one of the Cooke family circuses in Scotland.","physicalDescription":"Woodcut illustration cut from a larger piece of paper, presumably a playbill, showing a circus equestrian in costume, wearing breeches, jacket, cloak, stove-pipe hat and cross-gartered shoes, standing on a galloping horse. The name of the printer appears in the image, below the front legs of the horse.  The top of the letters of the name 'COOKE' is just visible in a caption that originally appeared below the image.\n\nThis image has been mounted on one sheet with four other circus-related images.","artistMakerPerson":[{"name":{"text":"Fife, T.","id":"A33200"},"association":{"text":"printer","id":"x30811"},"note":""}],"artistMakerOrganisations":[],"artistMakerPeople":[],"materials":[{"text":"printing ink","id":"AAT187371"},{"text":"paper","id":"x30308"}],"techniques":[{"text":"woodcut","id":"AAT53296"},{"text":"printing","id":"AAT53319"}],"materialsAndTechniques":"Printing ink on paper generated by woodcut","categories":[{"text":"Entertainment & Leisure","id":"THES48959"},{"text":"Advertising","id":"THES49001"},{"text":"Scotland","id":"THES262877"}],"styles":[],"collectionCode":{"text":"T&P","id":"THES48602"},"images":[],"imageResolution":"none","galleryLocations":[{"current":{"text":"006","id":"THES356631"},"free":"","case":"","shelf":"","box":""}],"partTypes":[[{"text":"woodcut","id":"AAT53296"}]],"contentWarnings":[{"apprise":"","note":""}],"placesOfOrigin":[{"place":{"text":"Great Britain","id":"x32019"},"association":{"text":"printed","id":"x46159"},"note":""}],"productionDates":[{"date":{"text":"ca.1829","earliest":"1824-01-01","latest":"1833-12-31"},"association":{"text":"printed","id":"x46159"},"note":""}],"associatedObjects":[],"creditLine":"Gabrelle Enthoven Collection","dimensions":[{"dimension":"Height","value":"10.8","unit":"cm","qualifier":"approximate","date":{"text":"","earliest":null,"latest":null},"part":"","note":""},{"dimension":"Width","value":"4.5","unit":"cm","qualifier":"","date":{"text":"","earliest":null,"latest":null},"part":"","note":""}],"dimensionsNote":"Image cut with rounded corners","marksAndInscriptions":[],"objectHistory":"","historicalContext":"","briefDescription":"Circus equestrian standing on a galloping horse. Possibly William Cooke as Alessandro Massaroni the Brigand Chief in an equestrian version of Planché's romantic drama <i>The Brigand,</i> ca.1829. Printed by T. Fife. Woodcut, presumably cut from a playbill, possibly advertising a performance in Scotland. Printed by T. Fife, ca.1829\r\n","bibliographicReferences":[],"production":"","productionType":{"text":"","id":""},"contentDescription":"","contentPlaces":[],"associatedPlaces":[],"contentPerson":[],"associatedPerson":[],"contentOrganisations":[],"associatedOrganisations":[],"contentPeople":[],"associatedPeople":[],"contentEvents":[],"associatedEvents":[],"contentOthers":[],"contentConcepts":[],"contentLiteraryRefs":[],"galleryLabels":[],"partNumbers":["S.1151-2011"],"accessionNumberNum":"1151","accessionNumberPrefix":"S","accessionYear":2011,"otherNumbers":[],"copyNumber":"","aspects":["WHOLE"],"assets":[],"recordModificationDate":"2025-04-16","recordCreationDate":"2012-03-13","availableToBook":true}}