{"meta":{"version":"2.1","_links":{"self":{"href":"https://api.vam.ac.uk/v2/object/O187680"},"collection_page":{"href":"https://collections.vam.ac.uk/item/O187680/"}},"images":{"_primary_thumbnail":"https://framemark.vam.ac.uk/collections/2010EF5595/full/!100,100/0/default.jpg","_iiif_image":"https://framemark.vam.ac.uk/collections/2010EF5595/","_alt_iiif_image":[],"imageResolution":"high","_images_meta":[{"assetRef":"2010EF5595","copyright":"© Victoria and Albert Museum, London","sensitiveImage":false}]},"see_also":{"_iiif_pres":"https://iiif.vam.ac.uk/collections/O187680/manifest.json","_alt_iiif_pres":[]}},"record":{"systemNumber":"O187680","accessionNumber":"S.4172-2009","objectType":"Print","titles":[{"title":"Exterior view of the Italian Opera House at the Haymarket","type":"generic 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. The foundation stone was laid on 18th April 1704, and the  theatre opened on 19th April 1705 with a performance of the Italian opera The  Loves of Ergasto . The first season was a failure however and Italian opera didn't  succeed at the theatre until Handel’s Rinaldo  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.\r\n\r\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)\r\n","physicalDescription":"Exterior view of the Italian Opera House at the Haymarket (Ridaut's Fencing Academy) 'as it appeared before the fire June 17 1789'. Reproduction of an original drawing by William Capon.","artistMakerPerson":[{"name":{"text":"Capon, William","id":"A24864"},"association":{"text":"artist","id":"AAT25103"},"note":""}],"artistMakerOrganisations":[],"artistMakerPeople":[],"materials":[{"text":"paper","id":"x30308"},{"text":"printing ink","id":"AAT187371"}],"techniques":[],"materialsAndTechniques":"print","categories":[{"text":"Entertainment & Leisure","id":"THES48959"},{"text":"Prints","id":"THES48903"}],"styles":[],"collectionCode":{"text":"T&P","id":"THES48602"},"images":["2010EF5595"],"imageResolution":"high","galleryLocations":[{"current":{"text":"002","id":"THES356582"},"free":"","case":"","shelf":"","box":""}],"partTypes":[[{"text":"prints","id":"AAT41273"}]],"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.4171-2009","id":"O187679"},"association":"Object"}],"creditLine":"","dimensions":[{"dimension":"Height","value":"14.8","unit":"cm","qualifier":"","date":{"text":"","earliest":null,"latest":null},"part":"Print size","note":""},{"dimension":"Width","value":"18.7","unit":"cm","qualifier":"","date":{"text":"","earliest":null,"latest":null},"part":"Print size","note":""},{"dimension":"Height","value":"18","unit":"cm","qualifier":"","date":{"text":"","earliest":null,"latest":null},"part":"Total including mount","note":""},{"dimension":"Width","value":"24.5","unit":"cm","qualifier":"","date":{"text":"","earliest":null,"latest":null},"part":"Total including mount","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'. Reproduction of an original drawing by William Capon, 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.4172-2009"],"accessionNumberNum":"4172","accessionNumberPrefix":"S","accessionYear":2009,"otherNumbers":[{"type":{"text":"H Beard collection numbering","id":"THES50444"},"number":"F.94-17"}],"copyNumber":"","aspects":["WHOLE"],"assets":[],"recordModificationDate":"2025-04-20","recordCreationDate":"2009-02-13","availableToBook":true}}