1850
From the collection of Victoria and Albert Museum
Dominant colour
H Beard Print Collection is a 1850 by Edwin Landseer, held at Victoria and Albert Museum.
This print shows Sir Edwin Landseer’s take on Isaac Van Amburgh, the famous big-cat tamer. Landseer made the engraving after painting Van Amburgh’s portrait for the Duke of Wellington. Van Amburgh’s act in London drew huge crowds and even Queen Victoria’s praise. She saw him so often she wrote about it in her diary. Look up Sir Edwin Landseer next.
The print depicts Isaac Van Amburgh, an American animal trainer of mixed Dutch and Cherokee heritage, shown with his trained lions in a staged performance. The scene likely references his popular acts at London theaters in the late 1830s, where he demonstrated control over big cats before audiences including Queen Victoria. The work stems from a 1839 commission by the Duke of Wellington for a portrait of Van Amburgh, which later inspired multiple engravings of his staged encounters with lions.
Read the full account in the museum source.
Sir Edwin Henry Landseer was an English painter and sculptor, well known for his paintings of animals – particularly horses, dogs, and stags. His best-known work is the lion sculptures at the base of Nelson's Column in Trafalgar Square.
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