Plates

Plate 1 This well-known painting of tamer Van Amburgh shows him wearing a Roman costume and standing in the centre of a cage of cowering lions and tigers. Edwin Landseer, English, 1802–73. Portrait of Mr Van Amburgh as he appeared with his animals in London theatres, 1846–47, Paul Mellon Collection, Yale Centre for British Art.

Plate 2 A graphic image of a brown lion on the back of a terrified white horse. The lion is digging his teeth and claws into the flesh of the horse. George Stubbs, English, 1724–1806. A lion attacking a horse, circa 1765, oil on canvas 69 x 100.1 cm, National Gallery of Victoria, Australia, Felton Bequest, 1949.

Plate 3 Cartoon drawing of politicians in top hats and suits attempting to climb up onto a seated elephant with a crown howdah. Several of the politicians have already failed to climb the elephant. John Doyle, A lesson in elephant riding, 1844, author’s collection.

Plate 4 The black and white advertisement for the Great Eastern Circus Menagerie illustrates a menagerie hunting act showing a hunter firing pistols surrounded by attacking lions. Advertisement for Great Eastern Circus 1872, courtesy of Pfening Archive.

Plate 5 The back cover of a 1883 Barnum and London Circus program contains seven black and white drawings depicting: P.T. Barnum’s vast hippodrome venue, three circus rings, two menagerie tents, a stage with acrobatic performances, the elephant Jumbo, a baby elephant and mother and the museum of human curiosities. Program back cover for Barnum and London Circus 1883, courtesy of Pfening Archive.

Plate 6 Hunters with rifles in the African grasslands hunting giraffes. Lulu Farini (Sam Hunt), Photograph Hunting Giraffe, Kalahari, 1885, The National Archive, UK, copy 1/373/439.

Plate 7 Photograph of horses playing dead in Frank Fillis’ Anglo-Boer war re-enactment. It appears to be a battlefield except for a visible section of raked seating to one side and the top of a Ferris wheel in the far background. Photograh St Louis Exposition 1904, courtesy of Floris van der Merwe.

Plate 8 Five lions on raked pedestals sit behind Madame Pianka. The uppermost maned lion reaches out a paw, probably to touch the bow in her hair. Photograph of Mme. Pianka, The lady of lions and her class, circa 1902.