Acrobat Gallery

In the support trench by Bruce Bairnsfather, WW1 cartoon

"Old Bill has practically decided to try to get Private Shinio (the ex-comedy-juggler-and-hand-balancer) transferred to another platoon." The stoicism of Captain Bruce Bairnsfather's cartoon character, Old Bill, is put to the ultimate test by an ex-acrobat comrade in the trenches. Date: 1917

© Illustrated London News Ltd/Mary Evans

Cartoon, A Blaze of Triumph! (Disraeli and Turkey)

Cartoon, A Blaze of Triumph! Disraeli is the hero of the day, having made a deal over Cyprus with Turkey at the Anglo-Turkish Convention, thereby ensuring peace rather than war. Disraeli is depicted as an acrobat, walking a tightrope while carrying the Sultan on his back. Date: 1878

© Mary Evans Picture Library

1870s, 1878, Acrobat, Acrobatics, Act, Analogy, Balance, Balancing, Blaze, Britain, Cartoon, Cartoons, Cyprus, Disraeli, East, Eastern, Entertainment, Events, Foreign, Hero, International, July, Metaphor, Middle, Performer, Policy, Political, Politics, Sultan, Triumph, Turkey

The New Zazel Valse by Charles Dubois

Promotional music sheet for The New Zazel Valse by Charles Dubois, circa 1877. Zazel was the first artiste to be shot from a cannon, and was also a trapeze artist and tight rope walker, and plunged into the auditorium from a great height. Her manager was the Great Farini (William Leonard Hunt), who is credited as the inventor of the device by which she appeared to be shot from the cannon. Artist: Alfred Concanen Date: circa 1877s

© The Michael Diamond Collection / Mary Evans Picture Library