{"meta":{"version":"2.1","_links":{"self":{"href":"https://api.vam.ac.uk/v2/object/O84895"},"collection_page":{"href":"https://collections.vam.ac.uk/item/O84895/"}},"images":{"_primary_thumbnail":"https://framemark.vam.ac.uk/collections/2006AH2181/full/!100,100/0/default.jpg","_iiif_image":"https://framemark.vam.ac.uk/collections/2006AH2181/","_alt_iiif_image":[],"imageResolution":"high","_images_meta":[{"assetRef":"2006AH2181","copyright":"© Victoria and Albert Museum, London","sensitiveImage":false}]},"see_also":{"_iiif_pres":"https://iiif.vam.ac.uk/collections/O84895/manifest.json","_alt_iiif_pres":[]}},"record":{"systemNumber":"O84895","accessionNumber":"S.393:29-2002","objectType":"Caricature","titles":[],"summaryDescription":"This caricature is of Juno Salmo, ‘The Golden Mephisto’, when he was performing at the Grand Theatre of Varieties, Hanley. This was either during the week of 2 January 1905 or 16 April 1906. It is one of the many superb caricatures of Edwardian music hall performers that were drawn by the artist George Cooke when he was based at the Grand Theatre. He compiled them in a series of albums.\r\n\r\nThe contortionist Juno Salmo was known as the <i>homme grenouille</i> or ‘frog-man’ when he performed in Paris with the Nouveau Cirque in a frog costume. He would dislocate his shoulders and hop around the aquatic part of the ring and do acrobatic contortions on a trapeze that appeared to be made of bamboo. He is seen here doing a similar act, but balancing on a pole dressed as a yellow devil. In his inscription on another of Cooke's caricatures of him in this collection, he describes himself as the ‘Mephisto Moderne’. The diabolic theme appears to have been a feature of his unusual act. The reviewer of his performance at Hanley in 1905 commented on the loud applause he received, ‘for his very smart work on a very narrow seat at the top of a tall metal post and on a trapeze’. In 1906 the reviewer noted that he performed ‘some amazing contortions amid remarkable stage effects to sustain the Mephistophelian title to which he assumes’.","physicalDescription":"Pen, ink and wash caricature on pink paper of Juno Salmo as a yellow devil, balanced from his arms on top of a pole, his legs tucked up behind his shoulders. He wears a spangled yellow leotard, has black and yellow make-up and wears a close-fitting yellow cap through which a spike or horn protrudes.","artistMakerPerson":[{"name":{"text":"Cooke, George","id":"A10376"},"association":{"text":"artist","id":"AAT25103"},"note":""}],"artistMakerOrganisations":[],"artistMakerPeople":[],"materials":[{"text":"Pen and ink","id":"x30618"},{"text":"Watercolour","id":"x33202"}],"techniques":[{"text":"Drawn","id":"x30545"},{"text":"Painted","id":"x30138"}],"materialsAndTechniques":"Pen and ink and wash on paper","categories":[{"text":"Entertainment & Leisure","id":"THES48959"},{"text":"Drawings","id":"THES48966"},{"text":"Caricatures & Cartoons","id":"THES48983"}],"styles":[],"collectionCode":{"text":"T&P","id":"THES48602"},"images":["2006AH2181"],"imageResolution":"high","galleryLocations":[{"current":{"text":"003","id":"THES352333"},"free":"","case":"","shelf":"","box":""}],"partTypes":[[{"text":"drawings","id":"AAT33973"}]],"contentWarnings":[{"apprise":"","note":""}],"placesOfOrigin":[{"place":{"text":"Hanley","id":"x32079"},"association":{"text":"made","id":"x28654"},"note":""}],"productionDates":[{"date":{"text":"January 1905 - April 1906","earliest":"1905-01-01","latest":"1906-04-30"},"association":{"text":"drawn","id":"x30545"},"note":""}],"associatedObjects":[],"creditLine":"","dimensions":[{"dimension":"Height","value":"23","unit":"cm","qualifier":"","date":{"text":"","earliest":null,"latest":null},"part":"","note":""},{"dimension":"Width","value":"16.8","unit":"cm","qualifier":"","date":{"text":"","earliest":null,"latest":null},"part":"","note":""}],"dimensionsNote":"The corners have been rounded off. This has been cut from another sheet of paper and glued into the album.","marksAndInscriptions":[{"content":"Compliments to the Artist - Mr Cooke   Yours Up The Pole Juno Salmo \"The Golden Mephisto\"","inscriber":{"name":{"text":"","id":""},"association":{"text":"","id":""}},"date":{"text":"","earliest":null,"latest":null},"description":"","interpretation":"","language":"","medium":"Pen and ink","method":"Hand written","position":"","script":"","translation":"","transliteration":"","type":"Signature","note":"Signature; Hand written; Pen and ink"}],"objectHistory":"This caricature is of Juno Salmo the contortionist as 'The Golden Mephisto', when he performed at the Grand Theatre of Varieties, Hanley, probably during the week of 2 January 1905 or during the week of 16 April 1906 when he returned to the Grand. On that visit he dated another caricature that Cooke drew of him (S.393:27-2002). Salmo had also been known as 'l'homme grenouille' or 'the frog man' because of the frog imitation act he had performed in Paris at the Nouveau Cirque. This caricature comes from the second album of caricatures in a collection of albums owned by the Theatre Museum compiled by the graphic artist George Cooke.  It is labelled by the artist 'Geo Cooke HYS BOOKE' and features music hall performers working in the early 20th century.","historicalContext":"","briefDescription":"Caricature of the Edwardian music hall performer, the contortionist Juno Salmo as 'The Golden Mephisto', from an album of caricatures drawn by George Cooke. January 1905 or April 1906.","bibliographicReferences":[],"production":"This is undated and could date from Salmo's engagements at Hanley during the week of  2nd January 1905 or 16th April 1906.  Cooke drew him during the 1906 engagement (S.393:27-2002) and Salmo dated the caricature.  This one, although in a later position in the album, has been cut out and stuck in, so its chronology is difficult to determine.","productionType":{"text":"","id":""},"contentDescription":"","contentPlaces":[],"associatedPlaces":[],"contentPerson":[],"associatedPerson":[],"contentOrganisations":[],"associatedOrganisations":[],"contentPeople":[],"associatedPeople":[],"contentEvents":[],"associatedEvents":[],"contentOthers":[],"contentConcepts":[],"contentLiteraryRefs":[],"galleryLabels":[],"partNumbers":["S.393:29-2002"],"accessionNumberNum":"393","accessionNumberPrefix":"S","accessionYear":2002,"otherNumbers":[],"copyNumber":"","aspects":["WHOLE"],"assets":[],"recordModificationDate":"2026-01-09","recordCreationDate":"2003-10-23","availableToBook":true}}