{"meta":{"version":"2.1","_links":{"self":{"href":"https://api.vam.ac.uk/v2/object/O130940"},"collection_page":{"href":"https://collections.vam.ac.uk/item/O130940/"}},"images":{"_primary_thumbnail":"https://framemark.vam.ac.uk/collections/2010EJ8047/full/!100,100/0/default.jpg","_iiif_image":"https://framemark.vam.ac.uk/collections/2010EJ8047/","_alt_iiif_image":[],"imageResolution":"high","_images_meta":[{"assetRef":"2010EJ8047","copyright":"© Victoria and Albert Museum, London","sensitiveImage":false}]},"see_also":{"_iiif_pres":"https://iiif.vam.ac.uk/collections/O130940/manifest.json","_alt_iiif_pres":[]}},"record":{"systemNumber":"O130940","accessionNumber":"S.2750-1986","objectType":"Ballad sheet","titles":[{"title":"Print Collection","type":"named collection"}],"summaryDescription":"This satirical ballad sheet is undated but was probably printed some time in the 1820s or 1830s in response to some scandal concerning the actress, singer and theatre manager Lucia Elizabeth Vestris (1797-1865) who was born in London Elizabeth Bartolozzi.  Aged sixteen she married the dancer Armand Vestris and although they separated, she kept his name professionally. She made a name for herself in Paris and London, was famous for her 'breeches' roles, portraying men and revealing her well-shaped and much praised legs, which are the subject of this scurrulous ballad.\r\n\r\nAlthough she could have specialised in opera, Madam Vestris made her name in burlesque and comedy roles, making her earliest success in 1820 in a burlesque or parody of Mozart's <i>Don Giovanni</i> called <i>Giovanni In London</i>. She made a huge hit with <i>The Broom Girl!</i> which she first sang at the Haymarket Theatre in 1826.  She took over the Olympic Theatre in 1830, and after her marriage in 1838 to the actor Charles James Mathews (1803-1878), also managed Covent Garden and the Lyceum Theatres for some time.","physicalDescription":"Printed ballad sheet headed with a central woodcut image of Britannia and a lion sitting in front of a bay, in which a masted sailing ship is seen moored behind.  Britannia holds her spear and is leaning on her shield talking to a robed figure by her side - possibly a muse of writing since she holds a pen in her right hand, and a book on her lap. The title <i>Madam Vestris's Legs</i> is in upper and lower case below the image, and the 6 verses and chorus are printed in two columns below.","artistMakerPerson":[{"name":{"text":"Birt, T","id":"A18407"},"association":{"text":"printer","id":"x30811"},"note":""}],"artistMakerOrganisations":[],"artistMakerPeople":[],"materials":[{"text":"paper","id":"x30308"},{"text":"printing ink","id":"AAT187371"}],"techniques":[{"text":"woodcut","id":"AAT53296"},{"text":"letterpress","id":"AAT178926"}],"materialsAndTechniques":"Woodcut and letterpress on paper","categories":[{"text":"Entertainment & Leisure","id":"THES48959"}],"styles":[],"collectionCode":{"text":"T&P","id":"THES48602"},"images":["2010EJ8047"],"imageResolution":"high","galleryLocations":[{"current":{"text":"006","id":"THES356631"},"free":"","case":"","shelf":"","box":""}],"partTypes":[[{"text":"song sheets","id":"THES402778"}]],"contentWarnings":[{"apprise":"","note":""}],"placesOfOrigin":[{"place":{"text":"Covent Garden","id":"x30574"},"association":{"text":"printed","id":"AAT53319"},"note":""}],"productionDates":[{"date":{"text":"ca.1830","earliest":"1825-01-01","latest":"1834-12-31"},"association":{"text":"printed","id":"AAT53319"},"note":""}],"associatedObjects":[],"creditLine":"Gabrielle Enthoven Collection","dimensions":[{"dimension":"Height","value":"25.3","unit":"cm","qualifier":"","date":{"text":"","earliest":null,"latest":null},"part":"","note":""},{"dimension":"Width","value":"18.3","unit":"cm","qualifier":"","date":{"text":"","earliest":null,"latest":null},"part":"","note":""}],"dimensionsNote":"","marksAndInscriptions":[],"objectHistory":"","historicalContext":"","briefDescription":"Ballad sheet with the words of the satirical song <i>Madam Vestris's Legs.</i> Letterpress and woodcut, printed by T. Birt, c.1830.","bibliographicReferences":[],"production":"","productionType":{"text":"","id":""},"contentDescription":"","contentPlaces":[],"associatedPlaces":[],"contentPerson":[{"text":"Britannia","id":"N1377"}],"associatedPerson":[],"contentOrganisations":[],"associatedOrganisations":[],"contentPeople":[],"associatedPeople":[],"contentEvents":[],"associatedEvents":[],"contentOthers":[{"text":"lion","id":"x30150"},{"text":"sailing ship","id":"AAT125446"}],"contentConcepts":[],"contentLiteraryRefs":[],"galleryLabels":[],"partNumbers":["S.2750-1986"],"accessionNumberNum":"2750","accessionNumberPrefix":"S","accessionYear":1986,"otherNumbers":[],"copyNumber":"","aspects":["WHOLE"],"assets":[],"recordModificationDate":"2025-04-16","recordCreationDate":"2007-01-19","availableToBook":true}}