Object of the Day, Museum Edition: The Dancing Dolls Engraving, 1821

Engraving
John Burnet, 1821
The Victoria & Albert Museum

This 1821 English engraving by John Burnet depicts a dancing marionette performance being held in a family home and entitled "The Dancing Dolls."  It was published in London by Hurst, Robinson & Co in 1822.


In this hand-colored engraving, we see a boy (acting as the puppeteer) who is playing a drum and a pipe whilst making two marionettes dance by using his knee to move the cord to which the puppets are attached back and forth. In the audience in this dear, private performance, we see sn old woman, a man with a baby on his lap and a young girl holding a dog. Two small children watch from the open window.