Isaac A. Van Amburgh

Isaac van Amburgh ( born May 26, 1808 in Fishkill, Dutchess County, New York, † November 29, 1865 in Philadelphia ) was an American animal trainer, who put first the head into the mouth of a lion and Europe celebrated with big cats dressage classes.

Life and work

Isaac van Amburgh left at age 19 to his hometown Fishkill and tried his hand at various jobs until he was hired at Raymond & Co., a traveling menagerie with trade then the largest livestock population in the United States.

His debut as a lion tamer was Van Amburgh 1833 in New York with his own show with several lions, in which he pushed his head into the mouth of a wild cat. Five years later, the celebrated equestrian Andrew Ducrow took him under contract and gave him his first appearance at Astley 's in London, where he belonged, with its big cats show to the lions, tigers and leopards, reportedly earned £ 300 a week. In 1839 he moved to the Drury Lane Theatre. Its various programs, including, for example, the pantomime Harlequin Jack Frost with tigers and lions, the young Queen Victoria visited at least six times. In 1848 he returned to Astley 's, where he with his big cats in one piece, titled Morok the Beast Tamer ( Morok, the Beastmaster ) occurred that was based on Eugene Sue The Wandering Jew (1845 ). Isaac van Amburgh died 1865 in Philadelphia of a heart attack.

Isaac van Amburgh entered always in antique seeming costume on, the cause quoted the Heracles myth, and presented itself with its big cats as their Tamer. He relied on the Genesis and the Creation bid as ruler over every living thing. He lay down the leopard over his shoulder and underlined his dressage performances with whip, stick and pistol shots.

Art

In London, the esteemed animal painter Sir Edwin Henry Landseer produced two paintings that he produced Isaac van Amburgh midst of his big cats. The first came in 1839, Van Amburgh was stretched out in his old costume in a cage and surrounded by his cats; front of his chest, he holding a lamb in her arms, in the background staring at the audience through the bars on the scene. The picture was purchased by Queen Victoria and since then is the Royal Collection. The second showing the tamer with his animals behind bars, painted Landseer on behalf of the Duke of Wellington; he did not finish before 1847. The image quotes other paintings and refers to objects and gestures on a symbolic level.

Narrated in addition to the paintings and illustrations Isaac van Amburghs as a porcelain figurine and milk jug.

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