- Museum number
- J,2.87
- Title
- Object: The Prospect Before Us
- Description
-
The dancers and musicians of the Opera House in the Haymarket appeal for charity, one of them, in back view, carries on his head a model of their new house, the roof, which is partly untiled, being inscribed 'Pray remember the Poor Dancers' (as begging sailors were wont to carry a model of a ship). In the foreground is a row of ragged performers: a 'cellist and a vigorous performer on the kettle-drum on the extreme left; next them is a violinist clad only in a ragged shirt. Behind is a man blowing a French horn; a prima-ballerina, probably Mile Hillisburgh, dances and sings, wearing finery combined with a ragged petticoat which she holds up, displaying bare legs. Next her a handsome dancer (Vestris, see BMSat 5905, &c.) in shirt and ragged breeches, poised elegantly on one toe, holds out his fashionable cocked hat to a chimney-sweep, who puts in a coin. A ragged opera-singer (? Sestini) clasps her hands before her naked breast. An elderly man holds out his hat to a stout butcher on the extreme right who puts in some unsavoury-looking meat (hearts).
Behind (left) is part of a house from whose first-floor windows spectators watch the scene. Over the door is a placard: 'Surveying, Brickmaking, Breeches Balls, and all other kind of Sweetmeats, by Michael Nincompoop' [Novosielski]. On the left is a poster: 'A New Fantoccini this Evening called Humbugallo in the Dumps, a Dance called the Battle of Brick-bats, to conclude with a grand crush by all the performers'. On the right are gabled houses with casement windows. Beneath the design is engraved: 'Humanely inscrib'd to all those Professors of Music, and Dancing, whom the cap may fit.' 13 January 1791
Hand-coloured etching
- Production date
- 1791
- Dimensions
-
Height: 365 millimetres
-
Width: 517 millimetres
- $Inscriptions
-
- Curator's comments
- (Description and comment from M.Dorothy George, 'Catalogue of Political and Personal Satires in the British Museum', VI, 1938)
A satire on the discomfiture of the performers engaged for the newly rebuilt Opera House in the Haymarket, built for Michael Novosielski by Thomas Leverton (see water-colour drawing of part of the building while being rebuilt in 1790, Crace Collection, xi, No. 114, and Crace's Pennant, v, pl. 51). They failed to get a licence for dramatic performances. Their best female singer was 'poor old Sestini', and they only obtained an audience through party rancour (see BMSat 8010). Mount Edgcumbe, 'Musical Reminiscences', 1827, p. 74. The names of the musicians and dancers appear in advertisements in the 'Public Advertiser', e.g. 31 March 1791. See BMSat 8010, &c.
Grego, 'Rowlandson', i. 284 (reproduction)..
(Supplementary information)
A pair to BMSat 8008. For preliminary drawing, see 1985,0608.31.
- Location
- Not on display
- Exhibition history
-
1989/90 Nov-Jan, Glasgow Mus & AG, World of Thomas Rowlandson
1990 Jan-Mar, Leicester City AG, World of Thomas Rowlandson
1990/1 Nov-Jan, Maidstone Museum, World of Thomas Rowlandson
1991 Jan-Mar, Swansea, Glynn Vivian AG, World of Thomas Rowlandson
- Acquisition date
- 1818
- Department
- Prints and Drawings
- Registration number
- J,2.87
