{"meta":{"version":"2.1","_links":{"self":{"href":"https://api.vam.ac.uk/v2/object/O209422"},"collection_page":{"href":"https://collections.vam.ac.uk/item/O209422/"}},"images":{"_primary_thumbnail":"https://framemark.vam.ac.uk/collections/2010EF6364/full/!100,100/0/default.jpg","_iiif_image":"https://framemark.vam.ac.uk/collections/2010EF6364/","_alt_iiif_image":[],"imageResolution":"high","_images_meta":[{"assetRef":"2010EF6364","copyright":"© Victoria and Albert Museum, London","sensitiveImage":false},{"assetRef":"2017JR5705","copyright":"© Victoria and Albert Museum, London","sensitiveImage":false}]},"see_also":{"_iiif_pres":"https://iiif.vam.ac.uk/collections/O209422/manifest.json","_alt_iiif_pres":[]}},"record":{"systemNumber":"O209422","accessionNumber":"S.4254-2009","objectType":"Print","titles":[{"title":"Gaetano Berenstadt as Flavio, Francesca Cassini as Emilia and Francesco Bernadi, or Senesino, in Handel's opera Flavio, King's Theatre Haymarket, 14 May 1723","type":"generic title"}],"summaryDescription":"Italian opera was one of the great theatrical crazes in 18th century London and this image of a scene from George Frederic Handel's opera <i>Flavio, Re De Longobardi</i> by an anonymous artist shows two of the most famous Italian castrati, Gaetano Berenstadt (1687-1734) and Francesco Bernadi (1686-1758), better known by his stage name Senesino, on stage with another Italian operatic superstar, the soprano Francesca Cuzzoni (1696-1798), the train of whose dress is held by a young boy. \n\n<i>Flavio </i>opened at the King's Theatre in London's Haymarket on 14th May1723 and despite the usual popularity of Handel's operas only ran for eight performances. Set in the Dark Ages the plot centred around the cynical and manipulative King Flavio played by Berenstadt, whose actions threatened to wreak havoc to those around him. The supposed setting of a play or opera made little difference to 18th century stage costume, as can be seen from Cuzzoni's fashionable contemporary dress as Emilia and the classically-inspired breastplates and helmet of Berenstadt and Senesino as Flavio and Guido. \n\nThe inscripton below the image mistakenly credits Berendtadt as another popular Italian singer, Farinelli, and Cuzzoni as Cassoni. The date 1726 may refer to a later edition of the print, but we know from the referencing of it in Hogarth's 1724 satire <i>The Bad Taste of the Town, or Masquerades and Operas</i> that it was originally printed in 1723","physicalDescription":"Engraving of Gaetano Berenstadt as Flavio, Francesca Cauzzoni as Emilia and Francesco Bernardi (Senesino) as Guido on stage in Act III, Scene 4 of <i>Flavio</i> by Handel.","artistMakerPerson":[{"name":{"text":"Unknown","id":"A1848"},"association":{"text":"publisher","id":"x32600"},"note":""},{"name":{"text":"Unknown","id":"A1848"},"association":{"text":"artist","id":"AAT25103"},"note":"This image has been attributed to John Vanderbank (1694-1739) because of the copy in the British Museum from the collection of the Duchess of Portland who said that Vanderbank told her that he had done it at the opera. It was known by William Hogarth (1679-1764) who used it in a banner image in his engraving <i>Masquerades and Operas</i>, 1724, to satirise the earning power of Italian opera stars in London"}],"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":["2010EF6364","2017JR5705"],"imageResolution":"high","galleryLocations":[{"current":{"text":"001","id":"THES356581"},"free":"","case":"","shelf":"","box":""}],"partTypes":[[{"text":"prints","id":"AAT41273"}],[{"text":"engravings","id":"AAT41340"}]],"contentWarnings":[{"apprise":"","note":""}],"placesOfOrigin":[{"place":{"text":"London","id":"x28980"},"association":{"text":"made","id":"x28654"},"note":""}],"productionDates":[{"date":{"text":"1723","earliest":"1723-01-01","latest":"1723-12-31"},"association":{"text":"printed","id":"AAT53319"},"note":""}],"associatedObjects":[{"object":{"text":"S.952-2010","id":"O1159950"},"association":"Object"},{"object":{"text":"S.660-2011","id":"O1224082"},"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":"Gaetano Berenstadt as Flavio, Francesca Cuzzoni as Emilia and Francesco Bernardi (called Senesino) as Guido in Act III, Scene 4 of <i>Flavio, Re De Longobardi</i> by George Frederic Handel. First performed on 14th  February 1723 at the Kings Theatre, Haymarket.  Anonymous etching formerly attributed to John Vanderbank. Harry Beard Collection.","bibliographicReferences":[],"production":"","productionType":{"text":"","id":""},"contentDescription":"","contentPlaces":[],"associatedPlaces":[],"contentPerson":[{"text":"Berenstadt, Gaetano","id":"N8608"},{"text":"Cassoni, Francesca","id":"N8607"},{"text":"Bernardi, Francesco","id":"N8609"}],"associatedPerson":[],"contentOrganisations":[],"associatedOrganisations":[],"contentPeople":[],"associatedPeople":[],"contentEvents":[],"associatedEvents":[],"contentOthers":[],"contentConcepts":[],"contentLiteraryRefs":["Flavio"],"galleryLabels":[],"partNumbers":["S.4254-2009"],"accessionNumberNum":"4254","accessionNumberPrefix":"S","accessionYear":2009,"otherNumbers":[{"type":{"text":"H Beard collection numbering","id":"THES50444"},"number":"F.96-40"}],"copyNumber":"","aspects":["WHOLE"],"assets":[],"recordModificationDate":"2025-04-20","recordCreationDate":"2009-03-25","availableToBook":false}}