Rare. There are examples of this print in the BM and The National Army Museum in the UK. The V & A has a reversed copy of this print with the print fixed to the wall behind the women significantly altered. There is also an example of this print in the Met and at the Lewis Walpole Library.
A fine impression of a very striking satirical print in which the famous circus equestrian performer Louisa Woolford is shown dressed in a men’s lancers uniform with a false moustache while two men covertly look on. Woolford performed a controversial routine as the “young lancer” where she wore men’s military uniform, much to the discontent of some members of the audience.
The British Museum catalogue notes that Louisa Woolford was part of the famous Woolford circus family and from a young age performed in the family show. She made her debut at Astley’s Royal Amphitheatre in 1828 at the age of 14 and quickly became the most famous member of the family troupe. In June 1829 she played the part of the “young lancer” in Astley’s show descried in a playbill as, “The splendid entrée of the Female Cavalry! / Consisting of a display of Manoeuvres of Horse, mounted by FEMALES ONLY, the ladies of the Establishment; the separate Exercises of the BROAD SWORD and LANCE will be gone through, as closely approximating those employed by a Corps of Lancers, which this Squadron represents…”
The BM catalogue goes on to quote a later review of Woolford’s act:
‘There is, as usual, some excellent riding in the circus; but we must find fault with MISS WOOLFORD’s White Serjeant, not that it is ill performed, but that the character is ill chosen. Her most peculiar merit is, that she preserves a feminine grace and elegance in an exhibition which in every other female rider has been coarse and masculine–– purely female habits, therefore, suit her best: we would see her with no other arms than those which nature provided her, and least of all with that most unpicturesque of all war’s implements––a musquet.’ (The Examiner 10th August 1834)
