{"meta":{"version":"2.1","_links":{"self":{"href":"https://api.vam.ac.uk/v2/object/O86795"},"collection_page":{"href":"https://collections.vam.ac.uk/item/O86795/"}},"images":{"_primary_thumbnail":"https://framemark.vam.ac.uk/collections/2006AH2182/full/!100,100/0/default.jpg","_iiif_image":"https://framemark.vam.ac.uk/collections/2006AH2182/","_alt_iiif_image":[],"imageResolution":"high","_images_meta":[{"assetRef":"2006AH2182","copyright":"© Victoria and Albert Museum, London","sensitiveImage":false}]},"see_also":{"_iiif_pres":"https://iiif.vam.ac.uk/collections/O86795/manifest.json","_alt_iiif_pres":[]}},"record":{"systemNumber":"O86795","accessionNumber":"S.393:25-2002","objectType":"Caricature","titles":[],"summaryDescription":"This caricature is of Dr Carl Hermann when he was topping the bill at the Grand Theatre of Varieties, Hanley, during the week of 26 February 1906. He was billed as ‘The Man who Tamed Electricity! The Human Resistance Coil! The Modern Miracle Worker! Hypnotist! Electrician! Scientist! Performs the Feat of Passing over 10,000 Volts of Electricity Through his Body! The Sensation of the Century! Doctor Amazed! Scientists Puzzled!’. It is one of the many superb caricatures of Edwardian music hall performers that were drawn by the artist George Cooke and compiled in a series of albums.\r\n\r\nCooke described Hermann as a hypnotist, but on his posters Hermann advertised himself as ‘The Man Who Tamed Electricity’. A review of his performance reveals that a highlight of his act was performing ‘shock treatment’ on audience members with paralysis. Hermann was already a celebrity in the world of magic by February 1900, when a portrait of him was published in the magazine <i>Ally Sloper’s Half Holiday</i>.","physicalDescription":"Pen, ink and wash caricature on pink paper of Carl Hermann, head and shoulders, shown framed in a key-hole shaped image of a landscape at night.  He looms large over the landscape, wearing evening dress and clasping flashes of lightning in his right hand.","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":"Drawings","id":"THES48966"},{"text":"Caricatures & Cartoons","id":"THES48983"},{"text":"Entertainment & Leisure","id":"THES48959"}],"styles":[],"collectionCode":{"text":"T&P","id":"THES48602"},"images":["2006AH2182"],"imageResolution":"high","galleryLocations":[{"current":{"text":"003","id":"THES352333"},"free":"","case":"","shelf":"","box":""}],"partTypes":[[{"text":"caricatures","id":"AAT15634"}]],"contentWarnings":[{"apprise":"","note":""}],"placesOfOrigin":[{"place":{"text":"Hanley","id":"x32079"},"association":{"text":"made","id":"x28654"},"note":""}],"productionDates":[{"date":{"text":"February 1906","earliest":"1906-02-01","latest":"1906-02-28"},"association":{"text":"drawn","id":"x30545"},"note":""}],"associatedObjects":[],"creditLine":"","dimensions":[{"dimension":"Height","value":"25","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":"","marksAndInscriptions":[{"content":"Yours as ever Dr Carl Hermann","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 the hypnotist Dr Carl Hermann performing at The Grand Theatre of Varieties, Hanley, during the week of 26th February 1906, billed as 'The Man Who Tamed Electricity'. The 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 hupnotist and music hall performer Dr. Carl Hermann, from an album of caricatures drawn by George Cooke. February 1906.","bibliographicReferences":[],"production":"","productionType":{"text":"","id":""},"contentDescription":"","contentPlaces":[],"associatedPlaces":[],"contentPerson":[],"associatedPerson":[],"contentOrganisations":[],"associatedOrganisations":[],"contentPeople":[],"associatedPeople":[],"contentEvents":[],"associatedEvents":[],"contentOthers":[],"contentConcepts":[],"contentLiteraryRefs":[],"galleryLabels":[],"partNumbers":["S.393:25-2002"],"accessionNumberNum":"393","accessionNumberPrefix":"S","accessionYear":2002,"otherNumbers":[],"copyNumber":"","aspects":["WHOLE"],"assets":[],"recordModificationDate":"2026-02-19","recordCreationDate":"2003-12-05","availableToBook":true}}