Printed Ephemera — 1839
Van Amburgh Reposing - Van Amburgh's Daring Feat
Sheet engraved with two prints representing 'Van Amburgh reposing' with wild cats and 'Van Amburgh's daring feat' which shows him wrestling with a lion. Published by A.Park on May 16th 1839. The sheet has been hand coloured.
Van Amburgh was an early lion tamer, and is usually credited with being one of the first lion tamers to put his head inside a lion's mouth. Van Amburgh developed his act in New York, and his London debut was in Astley's in August 1838. Queen Victoria enjoyed his shows and comissioned a portrait of him, completed in 1838. The style of the top portrait on this sheet resembles the royal portrait.
Van Amburgh has the distinction amongst early lion tamers of being one of the few to die at home, in their beds.
- Category:
- Printed Ephemera
- Object ID:
- 99.132/393b
- Object name:
- Van Amburgh Reposing - Van Amburgh's Daring Feat
- Object type:
- Artist/Maker:
- Park, Archibald Alexander
- Related people:
- Related events:
- Related places:
47 Leonard Street, London EC2 [City of London], City of London
- Production date:
- 1839
- Material:
paper, ink
- Measurements/duration:
- H 262 mm, W 205 mm
- Part of:
- —
- On display:
- —
- Record quality:
- 100%
- Part of this object:
- —
- Owner Status & Credit:
Permanent collection
- Copyright holder:
digital image © London Museum
- Image credit:
- —
- Creative commons usage:
- —
- License this image:
To license this image for commercial use, please contact the London Museum Picture Library.