{"meta":{"version":"2.1","_links":{"self":{"href":"https://api.vam.ac.uk/v2/object/O187679"},"collection_page":{"href":"https://collections.vam.ac.uk/item/O187679/"}},"images":{"_primary_thumbnail":"https://framemark.vam.ac.uk/collections/2010EF5593/full/!100,100/0/default.jpg","_iiif_image":"https://framemark.vam.ac.uk/collections/2010EF5593/","_alt_iiif_image":[],"imageResolution":"high","_images_meta":[{"assetRef":"2010EF5593","copyright":"© Victoria and Albert Museum, London","sensitiveImage":false},{"assetRef":"2017JR5706","copyright":"© Victoria and Albert Museum, London","sensitiveImage":false}]},"see_also":{"_iiif_pres":"https://iiif.vam.ac.uk/collections/O187679/manifest.json","_alt_iiif_pres":[]}},"record":{"systemNumber":"O187679","accessionNumber":"S.4171-2009","objectType":"Print","titles":[{"title":"Exterior view of the Italian Opera House at the Haymarket as it appeared before the fire June 17 1789","type":"published title"}],"summaryDescription":"The Italian Opera House was built as the Queen’s Theatre by the architect and dramatist John Vanburgh in 1704-1705, on a site on the west side of the Haymarket occupied by the Phoenix Inn, coach houses and a number of small houses. London’s principal theatres at the time were Drury Lane, Dorset Gardens, and Lincoln’s Inn Filds Theatre. The foundation stone was laid on 18th April 1704, and the theatre opened on 19th April 1705 with a performance of the Italian opera <i>The Loves of Ergasto</i>. The first season was a failure however and Italian opera didn't succeed at the theatre until Handel’s <i>Rinaldo </i>in 1711. Alterations to the interior were made in 1707-8 when boxes were constructed by Robert Adam in 1778, and in 1782 by Michael Novosielski, but on the night of 17th June 1789 the theatre was destroyed by fire.\n\nThe artist of the original from which this print was made was William Capon (1757-1827), a Norwich-born scene-painter, architectural draughtsman and architect who lived in Westminster for thirty years. 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 from 1790 to 1791, and working as a scene painter at Drury Lane Theatre in 1794. His drawings of Astley's Riding School in 1777 were also reproduced in engravings by Charles John Smith (1803-1838)\n\n\n","physicalDescription":"Engraving showing the exterior view of the Italian Opera House at the Haymarket (Ridaut's Fencing Academy) 'as it appeared before the fire June 17 1789'. From an original drawing by William Capon.","artistMakerPerson":[{"name":{"text":"Smith, Charles John","id":"A24865"},"association":{"text":"engraver","id":"x30813"},"note":""},{"name":{"text":"Capon","id":"A24864"},"association":{"text":"artist","id":"AAT25103"},"note":""}],"artistMakerOrganisations":[],"artistMakerPeople":[],"materials":[{"text":"paper","id":"x30308"},{"text":"printing ink","id":"AAT187371"}],"techniques":[{"text":"engraving (printing process)","id":"AAT53225"}],"materialsAndTechniques":"engraving","categories":[{"text":"Entertainment & Leisure","id":"THES48959"},{"text":"Prints","id":"THES48903"}],"styles":[],"collectionCode":{"text":"T&P","id":"THES48602"},"images":["2010EF5593","2017JR5706"],"imageResolution":"high","galleryLocations":[{"current":{"text":"002","id":"THES356582"},"free":"","case":"","shelf":"","box":""}],"partTypes":[[{"text":"prints","id":"AAT41273"}],[{"text":"engraving","id":"AAT41379"}]],"contentWarnings":[{"apprise":"","note":""}],"placesOfOrigin":[{"place":{"text":"Great Britain","id":"x32019"},"association":{"text":"printed","id":"x46159"},"note":""}],"productionDates":[{"date":{"text":"ca.1837","earliest":"1832-01-01","latest":"1841-12-31"},"association":{"text":"made","id":"x28654"},"note":"Charles John Smith the engraver of this print was elected a Fellow of the Society of Antiquaries in 1837. Since he died the following year and this print is signed Charles John Smith FSA, it must date to 1837 or before his death in November 1838"}],"associatedObjects":[{"object":{"text":"S.4169-2009","id":"O187676"},"association":"Object"},{"object":{"text":"S.4170-2009","id":"O187677"},"association":"Object"},{"object":{"text":"S.4172-2009","id":"O187680"},"association":"Object"}],"creditLine":"","dimensions":[{"dimension":"Height","value":"26.8","unit":"cm","qualifier":"","date":{"text":"","earliest":null,"latest":null},"part":"Print size","note":""},{"dimension":"Width","value":"17.6","unit":"cm","qualifier":"","date":{"text":"","earliest":null,"latest":null},"part":"Print size","note":""}],"dimensionsNote":"","marksAndInscriptions":[],"objectHistory":"","historicalContext":"","briefDescription":"Exterior view of the Italian Opera House at the Haymarket (Ridaut's Fencing Academy) 'as it appeared before the fire June 17 1789'. Etching by Charles John Smith (1803-1838) from an original drawing by 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.4171-2009"],"accessionNumberNum":"4171","accessionNumberPrefix":"S","accessionYear":2009,"otherNumbers":[{"type":{"text":"H Beard collection numbering","id":"THES50444"},"number":"F.94-16"}],"copyNumber":"","aspects":["WHOLE"],"assets":[],"recordModificationDate":"2025-04-20","recordCreationDate":"2009-02-13","availableToBook":false}}